


Bound

by ArtistAtHeart1



Series: Imprisonment [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Gen, Hurt Tim Drake, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Bruce Wayne, Psychological Trauma, Self-Harm, Sequel, Stalking, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tim Drake-centric, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-08-08 18:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 36,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16434206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistAtHeart1/pseuds/ArtistAtHeart1
Summary: Two weeks after Tim got away from Ra's, Tim is still recovering from his ordeal.  Bruce is there to help, but he may not be the only one keeping an eye on Tim.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally thinking about making this a oneshot, but after the feedback I've gotten so far on Fanfiction, I decided to turn this in to a multichapter fic. This is also a sequel to Prison Sentence, so I'd recommend reading it if you haven't. That being said, this is also on Fanfiction.

_Sun reflected off the heated sands of a desert. Tim was alone, searching the landscape for any signs of life. The landscape was familiar, bringing with it terrible memories of imprisonment. Tim hated thinking about that experience, but it was inevitable._

_A gust of wind startled Tim, causing him to look behind him. A cloud of sand slowly rolled closer to him. Tim didn't want to stay around to get caught up in it, quickly sprinting ahead. The sandstorm speed up with him, intent on smothering him. Panic surged through Tim, wanting him to escape._

_Tim tripped on something, falling to the ground face down. He looked back, wondering what he tripped on. To his horror, two bodies lied on the ground with a hand held onto his ankle. What made it worse was their identities. The bodies of his parents emerged from the sands, lifeless and terrified._

_Though petrified, Tim tried to get out of the grip of his mother, frantically wiggling his leg. Her grip stayed strong, not wanting to release him. Tim began to hyperventilate. With the sandstorm getting closer and his mother's strong grip, he started to question if he could get away. That, unfortunately, wasn't the only thing to plague him._

_His parents started to t witch, as though awakening from a deep sleep. Tim's panic escalated, frantically trying to get away. His parents rolled over, looking squarely at their son. Their white eyes pierced his soul._

_"You failed us." Janet coldly lectured._

_"You let us die." Jack accused._

_"I didn't mean to." Tim anxiously argued. "I was held captive. I wanted to save you, but I couldn't get out. I'm sorry."_

_"You could have saved us." His parents eerily moaned._

_"I'm sorry." Tim's attention briefly turned to the growing sandstorm. "Please, let me go."_

_His parents refused to let him go, as though ignoring his pleas. Tim was hysterical, as not only the storm came closer, but his parents began to crumble before him. Skin dried and shriveled as it tightly hugged bones. Even then, Janet's grip firmly held onto Tim's ankle._

_The sandstorm engulfed them, disintegrating Tim's parents. With his leg finally released, Tim stood up. He couldn't grieve, the will to escape overtaking him. He ran towards where the Sandstorm took over, hoping to get ahead of it._

_The clear sky felt like it was within reach. As Tim reached for it, so too did the sand. It wasn't just interested in that either. Clumps of sand chained themselves around Tim's ankles and wrists, pulling him further into the storm. Tim tried to resist their pull, but their grip was stronger._

_The chains pulled Tim further into the storm. He slammed into something. Something that wrapped arms around him._

_"I told you, you would not escape me." A gruff voice recalled._

_Tim didn't get time to recognize it before he was spun around. Greens and yellows flashed before him and a hand grabbed his face and shoved it upward._

_"You're mine." Ra's claimed._

Tim woke up screaming, a cold sweat drenching him. He frantically scanned the room, realizing he was in the manor. Tim's breathing calmed, relieved that he was safe. However, his psyche wanted to slip away.

Tim's door shot open and it didn't take a genius to figure out who burst in. Bruce, who had just gotten into pajamas after a long night of patrol, was anxiously staring at the teen. Bruce immediately approached the bedside, dreading what had occurred.

"Nightmare." Bruce assumed.

Tim slowly nodded. He anxiously bit his lip. This was the third nightmare in a week, and they weren't getting better. Bruce gently swatted away a few bangs.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bruce asked.

Tim's breathe hitched. He didn't want to talk about it, but he knew he had to.

"I was in the desert." Tim began. "I was alone and wanted to find someone. A sandstorm began to rage and I tried to run from it." Tim's eyes tightly closed recalling the next scene. "I was soon tripped by the corpses of my parents, who came alive to tell me that I failed them. They wouldn't let me go as the sandstorm flew over us. The storm destroyed them. I tried to escape the storm, but it pulled me in further. It pulled me in and thrusted me against Ra's, who told me I was his."

Tim buried his face in his hands. Bruce was mortified by the nightmare. Even with Ra's' absence in the recent days, he was still haunting his child.

"He's not going to take you." Bruce promised. "You don't belong to him."

That was a promise. There was no way Bruce was going to let Ra's claim him. Even with al Ghul etched into his back, Bruce wasn't going to let Tim go. He looked at Tim's deflated demeanor. Bruce didn't want to leave Tim alone.

"Come with me."

Bruce slowly pulled Tim off of the bed, helping him to his feet. He guided Tim down the hallway. They passed Dick's bedroom. Dick had been on a slippery road to recovery himself, but he was more open to talking about it, so he was progressing better than Tim was.

Tim was still living with his turmoil, or to be more precise, he was trying to ignore them. He hated talking about it. Tim would rather bury his woes, in the hopes that they would die off eventually.

Bruce opened the door to his bedroom. Ace was curled up beside the bed, sound asleep. Bruce offered Tim the side closest to the dog, pulling the sheets down. Tim looked at Bruce puzzled.

"You need a good night's sleep." Bruce answered. "I think you'll feel more secure knowing that I'm here for you."

Tim slid onto the bed, making sure to step over Ace. Bruce pulled the covers over Tim before taking the other side of the bed. Tim rolled over, facing Bruce. He was trembling slightly, the nightmare still lingering in his mind.

"It'll be okay." Bruce whispered, running a calloused hand through Tim's shadowy hair.

Tears trickled down Tim's face. He curled up closer to Bruce, wanting to accept his comfort. Tim allowed himself to take Bruce's presence, slowly succumbing to his exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The following morning comes and after processing some grief, Tim tries something that he is having issue with.

Tim slowly woke up, twitching his limbs slightly. His eyes took a moment to focus, refining his surroundings in the process. A muscled frame in a white shirt clearly presented itself and the weight of an arm helped remind Tim where he was. The memory of Bruce brining Tim into his room came back to him, as well as the nightmare.

Tim wasn't sure how to feel. He was well rested and in a better mood, but he was embarrassed that Bruce hauled him to his room for the night. However, his proximity to Bruce was comforting. Knowing that he was safe, Tim felt a sense of ease.

Bruce's arm twitched, subconsciously wrapping tighter around Tim's shoulders. Blue eyes blinked, waking up slowly. Bruce seemed happy that Tim was still there once he realized that Tim still was.

"Morning." Bruce greeted. "How do you feel?"

"Okay I suppose." Tim yawned.

"Sleep better?"

Tim nodded.

"That's good."

Tim curled up, burying his face in his hands. His mind drifted, sinking into a dark corner. The action worried Bruce, causing him to gently set his hand on the side of Tim's face.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked.

Tim didn't speak as his frame shook.

"They're really dead Bruce." Tim whispered. "My parents are dead."

Tim was letting that sink in. While the realization was connected with his nightmare, Bruce knew that Tim was really processing the incidents. The funeral for them was a week ago, but Tim refused to show how it affected him during the whole precession. He was soaking it in now, and regardless of Bruce's thoughts on Tim's coping, it was good to see that Tim was responding.

"Yes." Bruce sighed. "As unfortunate as it is, they are dead. I'm sorry."

Bruce's honest didn't alleviate Tim's pain. It only amplified the loss.

"Why did they have to die?"

A choked gasp emerged from Tim. It was clear that Tim was in tears, even with his hands shamefully hiding his eyes.

"Come here." Bruce softly commanded.

Bruce brought Tim closer, gently wrapping his arms around Tim. Tim weakly gasped, noting the close proximity to Bruce.

"Let it out."

Tim didn't need to be told twice, crying in Bruce's arms. His parents were dead and there wasn't anything he could do about it. It wasn't fair and they both knew it.

Bruce didn't say a word, allowing Tim to take the time to cry. He wanted to give Tim the time to process his grief. When Tim seemed to calm down, he decided to speak.

"I wish I could say that it'll be okay," Bruce admitted, "that it would go away, but I'd be lying."

Tim looked at Bruce, eyes still a little watery. They were hurt, but they were willing to accept Bruce's words. Bruce whipped them away before patting Tim on the back.

Bruce sat up and Tim soon followed. As Tim swung his legs around the side of the bed, Ace eyed him with sympathy. The German Shephard hopped up, placing his front paws on Tim's lap as he licked Tim's face. Tim chuckled, the dog's tongue tickling him. The display brought a smile to Bruce's face.

"Okay Ace." Tim giggled, ruffling the dog's fur.

"Why don't we get ready? I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast."

~

Tim entered the kitchen clad in a sweater and jeans. His eyes were drooping, but he was awake none the less. Ace stood beside Tim briefly before trotting over to Bruce. Breakfast was sitting at the table and Dick and Bruce acknowledged his presence.

"Good morning sunshine." Dick greeted. "Did you sleep well?"

Both Bruce and Tim weren't amused with the question and Dick recognized that immediately. Dick got up and approached Tim apologetically.

"Come here." Dick requested, pulling Tim in for a hug. "I'm sorry."

Tim shuffled in Dick's embrace, a little uncomfortable with it. He tried to get out of the bear hug, but Dick wouldn't have it. Bruce noticed the struggle, amused by the attempted rejection of affection, and decided to step in.

"Alright let him go." Bruce defended. "Tim's got to eat."

"Okay." Dick agreed, opening his arms.

Tim quickly trotted over to the table to the table before he could be pulled into another. Eggs, toast, and bacon were neatly placed on the plate while a cup of coffee sat next to it. The plate was pretty full since Tim's eating habits had become sporadic since his rescue. If they could get him to eat anything it was a job well done. Tim scarfed down the meal in silence, caving into his hunger.

"Can I take Tim outside?" Dick asked.

Bruce gave him a brief, surprised stare. It even caught Tim off guard. Tim barely went outside of the house since he returned. In fact, Tim flat out refused to leave the house with the only exception being Bruce dragging him out for an appointment with Leslie. After what they went through, Tim was too anxious to try.

Not that Dick was in the wrong for offering. Getting Tim out of the house would be a wonderful thing. Bruce hated that Tim was keeping himself cooped up in the house all day and wanted Tim to get out and enjoy the nice days.

"You can try." Bruce offered. "If you can get him out of the door, you can take him where you please. So long as it's not too far from here."

Dick's attention turned to Tim who was attentive to the question. Tim couldn't quite chime in since he had food in his mouth, but he did have an opinion.

"Would you like to give it a try?" Dick asked.

Tim swallowed what was in his mouth so he could answer.

"No promises." Tim replied.

"I'm good with that."

With his plate empty, Tim set it in the sink. He took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the request. Dick led the way with Tim and Bruce not too far behind. Dick slide his shoes on as did Tim while Bruce stood behind them.

Dick opened the door and took a few steps outside. He turned around, offering Tim his hand. Tim stared at Dick's hand anxiously. He wanted to take it. He wanted to take that first step. Tim tried to, picking his foot up so he could step outside.

Unfortunately, a wall of anxiety smacked him, keeping him in his place. Tim retracted his foot, turning back to the house. He removed his shoes before approaching Bruce. Bruce gently grabbed Tim's arms.

"It's okay." Bruce comforted. "We'll try again later." He turned his attention to Dick, who reentered the house and closed the door. "Thank you for trying."

"No problem." Dick replied.

Tim's sight fell on the floor. He was ashamed of his failure to do something as simple as leaving the house.

"I'm sorry." Tim apologized.

"It's okay." Bruce replied.

Tim looked up at Bruce, a saddened gleam on his face. Bruce brushed Tim's bangs to the side.

"You'll get outside when you're ready. For now though, why don't we go watch a movie?"

Tim nodded in affirmation.


	3. Bound 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim reveals ta concern of his to Dick

Tim sat on the windowsill of the den, staring out of the window into the nocturnal abyss. His body was curled up with his knees pressed to his chest as his arms hugged his legs. Tim knew that Bruce was going to be heading out on patrol with Damian soon, and Dick's voice could be heard debating with Bruce.

"Why can't I come on patrol?" Dick whined. "I think I'm ready."

"Because I don't want to take any chances." Bruce replied. "You may think you're ready, but I think you need a little more time. Plus, from what I've heard, Slade may be involved and I don't want to take any risks by throwing you in the same room as him. Not at this time."

Dick's groan echoed through the hallway, displeased with Bruce's response. It was followed by Damian sighing, and Tim could picture the current Robin rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Ask me again later. If I feel like you're ready, I may let you join us at the end of the week."

Dick seemed to accept the offer, since there was no sign of a complaint, and two sets of footsteps went for the clock. The clock shuffled across the ground, closing moments later. The manor fell silent as Tim waited for Dick to move. He did, but rather than his steps getting quieter as he went to another part of the manor, Dick's footsteps got louder. Dick entered the den, noting Tim's dampened demeanor. He approached the windowsill, hoping to get Tim's attention.

"Mind if I join you?" Dick asked.

When Tim didn't answer, Dick to the initiative, sitting with Tim. Tim's attention didn't move, but he knew Dick was there. Dick didn't say anything, wanting Tim to start a conversation.

"Why do you want to go on patrol?" Tim asked. "After what you went through, I don't know why you'd want to go."

Dick wasn't surprised by the question. With Tim refusing to leave the house and the subsequent refusal to go on patrol, it was a reasonable inquiry.

"Because I'm moving on." Dick admitted.

"But you were beaten. Tortured." Tim looked at Dick anxiously irked. "It was because of patrol that you were captured. How could you go on patrol after all of the trauma you went through? How can you be so complacent?"

Tim was on his knees, looming over Dick as he was supporting his weight on them. He was visibly shaking, frightened by Dick desire. It was a little disheartening that Tim was so concerned about Dick. He had a right to, but Dick was concerned with the overactive concern that was coming from Tim.

"Calm down." Dick whispered, tapping the windowsill prompting Tim to slowly sit back down. "I get it. Your worried, scared after all that we went through, but I'm trying to move on. You know me. Always moving forward, even though it doesn't always end well. Sure, I'm still suffering from what happened, and am working through it, but I don't want to dwell on it either."

"But you were hurt." Tim sighed. "Sold to Slade, and I couldn't stop it."

Dick started to see a reason for the outburst. Tim wasn't just projecting concern, but blame as well. Blame that Tim was clearly still harboring and placing on himself. It hurt knowing that Tim was still harboring these feelings of self-blame, but it wasn't a surprise.

"Come here." Dick requested, pulling Tim in for a hug.

Tim didn't stop him from doing it, curling onto Dick's lap. Dick's thumb circled around Tim's arm. Dick knew not to beat around the bush with Tim as far as honesty and the whole incident they were subjected to.

"Yes, I was hurt, but I'm getting better." Dick admitted. "I'm just healing a little quicker than you are in comparison. It may come back to bite me in the butt, but how we're handling it is different. That's not a good or bad thing, it's just how we're coping. I don't expect you to heal overnight. That would be foolish of me, but you have to understand that I'm not going to dwell on it either."

"But…"

"But nothing. Tim I know your hurting. To be honest, I think you've been damaged worse in some areas than I was. I'm more concerned about you and your recovery. Even when I was being beaten and eventually hospitalized, I was worried about Ra's did to you. That man had no restraint. No qualms with trying to break you. So long as he got what he wanted, he would do anything to get it."

Tim was silent. Dick's concern was sweet, but he didn't feel like he deserved it. Tim felt Dick's embrace tighten slightly, causing him to shuffle around to get comfortable.

~

Bruce and Damian entered the manor. Patrol went smooth and relatively quick. Damian quickly retired for the night, running passed his father. As Bruce entered the hallway, he was greeted by Dick, who was carrying an unconscious Tim.

"Is everything okay?" Bruce asked.

"He's fine. Just sleeping." Dick sighed. "He was concerned about me going on patrol and how I've been healing."

"I can assume you handled it correctly."

"Yes, but I'm worried. He still blames himself for what happened and I'm worried about his lack of progress."

Bruce understood Dick's concerns. He knew about the lack of progress on Tim's part, but didn't know about the blame. It would be something he'd like to address in the morning. Bruce extended his arms.

"I'll take him."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I appreciate your help during my absence, but I'd like to take it from here. With him being homebound on my day off, I'd like to, at least try to, handle some of his baggage."

Dick understood Bruce's desire. He approached Bruce and gently slid Tim into Bruce's arms. Tim didn't stir from his sleep, but he did subconsciously get comfortable in Bruce's arms. Dick yawned, tired from waiting.

"I'll see you in the morning B." Dick yawned, heading for the stairs. "Good night."

"Good night Dick." Bruce replied.

Tim twitched, catching Bruce's attention. Tim was still sleeping, but seemed to be dreaming. It didn't appear to be a bad one, since Tim wasn't really moving, but Bruce still had to get him to bed. Traveling up the stairs, Bruce debated whether he should take Tim to his room or if Bruce's would be better.

"Nigh… Night…" Tim murmured, catching Bruce's attention. "Nightwing."

Tim's hand slowly reached out for something that wasn't there. He was clearly trying to grab something, or someone, in his dream. If Bruce had to guess, Tim was probably visualizing his and Dick's capture. That was enough for Bruce to take Tim to his room. If Tim had a worse nightmare or woke up in a daze, Bruce wanted to be there if Tim needed him.

As Bruce entered his room, he pulled back the blanket at slowly laid Tim down. He covered Tim, who curled up slightly. Bruce swiftly went to the bathroom to clean up before getting into the bed himself. Tim seemed to calm down some, and Bruce was glad for that. However, Bruce knew this wasn't going to last, and he knew Tim was going to need him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim takes a small step towards recovery.

Tim woke up to find himself in Bruce's room. He was a little surprised when the last thing he recalled that he was sitting in the den with Dick before falling asleep. Tim sat up, yawning along the way. As he scanned the room, the door opened. Bruce entered the room with a tray of food on it.

"Good, you're awake." Bruce greeted before setting the tray on Tim's lap. "I thought I'd bring you breakfast. Alfred was worried that you weren't eating enough."

"Thank you." Tim quietly replied.

Bruce allowed Tim to eat, not wanting to distress Tim with his concerns. When Tim finished, Bruce took the tray and set it on a dresser. He looked back at Tim who was holding his upper body weight on his arms. His shoulders were slumped over and didn't show signs of getting up soon.

"You want to talk about last night?" Bruce inquired, wanting to give Tim the option to answer.

Tim didn't respond, but his body language told Bruce that he knew what Bruce was referring to. Tim anxiously ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't want to, but something tells me you do." Tim sighed. "What do you want to know about?"

"This self-loathing you're doing for starters."

Tim moaned. Dick had to go off and said something to Bruce, not that Tim was surprised. He just didn't want to talk about it. This was clearly Bruce's attempt at consulting Tim.

"It's my fault we got captured." Tim stated, resting his head on an arm. "I knew something was wrong when we were on patrol. I should have said something. Dick getting beaten was my fault."

Bruce sat next to Tim on the bed. Tim responded by bringing his knees up and wrapped his arms around them.

"That's not your fault." Bruce denied. "You couldn't afford that risk and Ra's al Ghul took advantage of such a predicament."

Tim didn't react to the statement.

"Ra's al Ghul is a cunning mastermind and knew how to use a situation in his advantage."

Bruce wasn't sure if what he said got through to Tim, but he did know that Tim listened to it.

"Is there anything else about your capture at this time?"

"No."

~

Bruce entered the kitchen to find Tim standing in front of an open door leading to the backyard. He was a little curious as to why Tim was there. If Bruce had to guess, Tim was trying to get himself outside. With Tim looking out at the yard, whispering some kind of motivation it seemed a little obvious.

"Just go out." Tim whispered. "You can't stay inside forever. You're free to roam. You're not a prisoner."

"Can I help you?" Bruce inquired.

Startled, Tim jumped forward, bouncing out of the house. It didn't take long for him to notice that he was and he instantly regretted it. Panic sprouted as Tim started to breath heavy.

"It's okay." Bruce comforted, stepping outside with him.

He gently grabbed Tim's shoulders. As much as he knew that Tim was struggling to be outside, Bruce knew he had to hold on. He had to make sure that Tim knew it was okay. That nothing was out there to get him.

Tim's breathing started to even out after a few minutes. Bruce's scent eased his anxiety, helping him realize that he was going to be alright. Tim looked up at Bruce relaxed.

"It's such a lovely day, wouldn't you agree?" Bruce asked.

"It is." Tim agreed. "Thank you."

Tim hugged Bruce. It was a thankful gesture that Bruce couldn't refuse, wrapping arms around Tim in response.

"Now I don't expect you to walk out here every day if you're not comfortable." Bruce admitted. "However, I do want you to get out here more. There are plenty of people here who would love to accompany you if you so wish."

Bruce released Tim and turned towards the door. He only took a step before a hand grabbed his sleeve. Looking back, Bruce saw a spark in Tim's eyes. Renewed awe glowed off of Tim's eyes.

"I want to sit out here for a little." Tim admitted. "Can you stay out here with me?"

Bruce grinned. It was a small step, but a significant one.

"Of course."

~

Bruce and Tim entered the house feeling renewed. Tim spoke nothing but light drabble, keeping his mind off of Ra's. Though hoping to get Tim to open up about it, Bruce was glad that Tim was finally relaxing.

Dick was in the room, stunned to see them coming in. He just got back from his morning jog, and wasn't expected to see them coming from the outside. At the same time, Dick felt a pang of pride in the back of his mind.

"This is unusual." Dick admitted. "Care to explain?"

Bruce patted Tim's shoulder.

"Tim took the first step towards recovery." Bruce proudly declared. "He sat on the patio and talked to me."

Dick's pride overflowed as he approached them. The fact that Tim finally managed to get outside was impressive. Dick was also thankful for Bruce, who he knew contributed to this greatly. Dick threw his arms around Tim, almost knocking him over.

"I'm so proud of you Timmy." Dick sighed.

"Thank you." Tim gasped, feeling squished by the hug.

Dick released Tim without question, placing his hands on Tim shoulders.

"Next thing you know, you'll be out on patrol."

Tim flinched at that notion. He hadn't thought about that, quite frankly he didn't want to. The mere thought of it sent a chill up Tim's spine. It was clearly said out of quick excitement.

"Small steps Dick." Bruce chimed in. "He hasn't even left the premises willingly yet."

Dick instantly regretted saying it. He could admit that he hadn't thought that completely through, and he felt guilty about it.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." Tim sighed. "I may get there eventually."

"You may?"

Tim groaned.

"Can we not talk about this right now? I finally got the courage to go outside. I don't want to think about everything else."

Tim wormed out of Dick's grip and bolted out of the room. Dick and Bruce watched in dismay. What was meant to be a simple endeavor turned sour, and an accidental slip of the tongue wasn't meant to be taken so strongly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim reminisces on the scar on his back and has a flashback.

Steam was erased off of the mirror. Tim stood in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around his waist. The shower was a pleasant necessity, but Tim wasn't too enthused. Looking in the mirror, his eye traced around his scars.

There were some from Ra's that were beginning to clear. It was nice to know that the physical trauma was starting to fade. Unfortunately, his mind wandered towards his back. To a scar that had little to no chance of healing. A scar that made him feel wrong for being home.

Tim sighed, leaving his bathroom to get dressed. On his bed were a pair of jeans, boxers, and a red hoodie. He got the boxers and pants on without hassle, but he couldn't help but stare at the hoodie. He couldn't help but think about the scar.

"You don't deserve the insignia on your back." A voice bluntly stated.

It didn't take much for Tim to know who was talking. A flinch towards the door let him acknowledge Damian. He knew Damian hadn't been there long, but the fact that Damian was standing there while he wasn't completely dressed wasn't a comfortable thought.

"Well I didn't ask for it." Tim sighed, putting the hoodie on.

"You still don't deserve it either way. Quite frankly, after your whole ordeal, I don't know if you deserve to be here."

Tim mentally scoffed. He was too familiar with Damian's disdain to be offended.

"What else is new?"

Tim went for the door, ready to exit the room, only for Damian to stop him. The gesture annoyed Tim.

"I don't know if I should pity you or be disappointed."

"I don't care either way." Tim admitted. "Considering your previously vocal resentment towards me, the latter sounds more likely. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go downstairs."

Tim's statement didn't seem to win him anything as Damian refused to move. An offended glare burned into Tim.

"Look, I'm trying to be sympathetic here."

"You could have fooled me. You never seemed to like me to begin with."

"I earned my place here."

"Damian!" Bruce called, causing the duo to look at him.

He was standing in the hallway. He wasn't upset, if anything a little annoyed by the sight. He hadn't been there long, but he heard enough.

"Let him out." Bruce requested.

"Not after he accused me of not caring." Damian argued.

"Well you didn't exactly make it sound unsympathetic."

Damian scoffed, walking away from the door. He stormed down the stairs, prompting Bruce to mentally note to speak with him later. Tim finally exited his room and made his way towards Bruce. His hands were in the hoodie's pocket and Tim wasn't too impressed with Bruce stepping in.

"You didn't have to do that." Tim stated.

"Yes I did." Bruce replied. "He would have attacked you. Not to mention he wasn't going to let you leave because of what you said. You have got to try to understand him Tim. Damian does care." Bruce thought on that for a second. "Well, I should say he's trying to. I know he's been sour about this whole thing, and you two don't get along in general, but I'd like to believe he feels bad for what his grandfather did to you."

Tim wasn't about to admit that Bruce had a point. Not to say that Bruce didn't have one. However, their history got in the way.

"You're probably right." Tim sighed, giving Bruce that much.

Bruce nudged his head turning around.

"Come with me. I wanted to take you outside today."

Tim hitched slightly. He didn't like the thought of going back outside.

"But we already did that."

"I know, but I thought we could go to the park. I thought we could play catch. Swing. Walk. Anything to help get you comfortable outside."

Tim stifled an anxious moan. He didn't want to go out again. At least not this soon. Bruce noted Tim's disdain, approaching Tim without a word. He set his hands on the teen's shoulders.

"I know this is a lot to ask of you, but I hate seeing you stuck in the house."

Tim nervously bit his lip. He didn't want to go out, but he didn't like seeing Bruce plead for him to get out of the house.

"Fine," Tim sighed, "but only for a little."

~

Bruce stood outside the manor waiting for Tim to make his first step out. He didn't want to startle Tim out of the door, rather, he wanted Tim to walk consciously take the first step out the door. Tim took a breath, taking a step outside. It was a relief to see Tim doing that on his own. Tim approached Bruce, who in turn led him to the car.

~

The park was full of life. Couples were hanging out, people were playing fetch with their dogs, and babysitters were strolling around young toddlers in an attempt to get them out. The liveliness gave Bruce and Tim a sense of peace. There was no malicious undertone and the sun light gave the park a calming presence.

Tim agreed to trot around the park. Bruce was perfectly fine with the decision, glad that Tim was able to find something to make himself comfortable. Tim's sight took everything in, hopefully enjoying the scenery. How long it would last was up for debate.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long. While playing what appeared to be a couple playing tag, the girl tripped on something and fell, crying out in pain. Her boyfriend ran over to her, concerned. The boyfriend anxiously asked if she was alright and what was hurt. She stiffly claimed that her ankle really hurt, and it only got worse if she tried to move it. The boy picked her up, telling her that he was going to get her to the hospital. It didn't take long for them to leave.

It affected everyone, but it seemed like everyone was relieved that the girl was getting help. However, it didn't go completely smooth. Tim froze as though trapped in a snare. Blue eyes widened as Tim's mind flashed back. Bruce got in front of Tim, worried.

"Tim?" Bruce called.

"This is a trick. A… a cruel trick." Tim murmured.

Tim's hands grabbed the sides of his head as he started to shake. He went into a dazed panic, as though he was in a different world.

"You knew this would happen. You planned this."

Tim fell to his knees, now in tears. Bruce instantly kneeled down, concerned. He tried to nudge Tim to get him back to his senses.

"Tim." Bruce repeated.

"You killed them!" Tim shouted, grabbing the attention of several people in the park. "Damn you Ra's!"

Bruce finally realized what Tim was doing. He was having a flashback, but not only that, was unintentionally vocalizing what he was seeing. From what Bruce could guess, Tim was recalling the death of the couple that he had previously told Bruce about. Deaths that were planned out by Ra's himself in a lose-lose situation.

"Tim, snap out of it!" Bruce yelled, grabbing Tim by the shoulders and shaking him slightly. "You're not there."

Tim's eyes sparked, registering where he was. He looked at Bruce, petrified by his memory and its unintended outburst. Tim's tears increased, streaming down his face faster.

"I'm sorry." Tim woefully apologized before throwing himself at Bruce to hug him.

Bruce held Tim. Another trigger setting off Tim's anxiety was heartbreaking. It may have given Bruce another clue into Tim's torture, but it didn't make it any less tragic.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim asks Bruce a troubling question and Alfred and Tim have a brief moment.

Tim watched the rain gently tap against the den window. With little to no light from outside, it was the only thing keeping him preoccupied. With Bruce and Damian on patrol, Alfred cooped up in the cave, and Dick in his room, Tim needed something to keep himself awake. Plus, he always found the sight and sound of rain soothing.

"I thought you were a sleep." Bruce stated.

Tim sighed. Of course Bruce would see him, entering the room without making a sound.

"I was." Tim quietly admitted. "But I woke up and I can't seem to fall back to sleep."

Bruce approached the windowsill, sitting down with Tim. He didn't initially spark a conversation, wanting to observe Tim. The dark circles under Tim's eyes were just forming and Tim was lightly shivering. Tim had to be tired, but Bruce knew that he wasn't going to admit to it.

Since the incident in the park, Tim has tried to avoid discussing his panic attack. It was an issue that Bruce wanted to address, but he questioned if he was the best qualified to do so. He felt he had some qualities to help Tim through it, but a neutral party he was not.

However, Bruce wanted to focus on other things. Tim's current condition mostly. He wanted to know what woke Tim up and what brought him downstairs. Bruce placed a hand on Tim's shoulder.

"What's up?" Bruce asked.

Tim took a moment to respond. He seemed disheartened about something.

"Have you seen Ra's?" Tim asked.

Bruce anxiously stared at Tim. The last thing he wanted to hear was Tim inquiring about anything to do with the whereabouts of Ra's al Ghul. It was too soon

"Why?" Bruce inquired.

"I'm scared." Tim sighed. "I can't seem to sleep without wondering if Ra's is out there planning something."

Bruce didn't want to answer that. Not because he didn't know, but because he didn't want to frighten Tim more than he already was. Bruce knew he couldn't give Tim the answer he wanted and that troubled him. However, he knew honesty was the only logical choice, even if he didn't know how Tim would react. Lying to Tim would do nothing for him.

"I haven't seen him." Bruce admitted. "To be honest, since your rescue, it's almost like he vanished. I haven't seen a single assassin. Talia hasn't shown up once to see Damian. Nothing. He's just gone. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing."

Bruce let Tim process his investigation. He didn't appear distressed, but he didn't appear pleased either. With Ra's unaccounted for, Bruce knew Tim had to feel something about it. Even if he wasn't showing it.

"What do you think about it?" Bruce asked. "How do you feel about this?"

"Uncertain relief." Tim sighed, finally looking at Bruce. "Deep seeded fear. Part of me feels like I should feel relieved that he's gone, but I know this can't be permanent. He has to be out there somewhere. He has to be planning something." Tim briefly set his sights back on the window. "When I woke up, I thought I saw him outside, but a flash of lightning revealed that it was merely a fox hiding in some bushes."

Tim was responding pretty well. His paranoia was understandable, but Bruce was glad that Tim wasn't overreacting. He understood the feeling of uncertainty, the fear that Ra's could be out there waiting for him must have been terrible.

It was even worse in Bruce's mind. He was supposed to protect Tim, but he couldn't give Tim the comfort he needed. Nor could he give Tim the satisfaction of knowing that Ra's wasn't going to bother him.

"I'm sorry." Bruce apologized.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Tim replied. "I'm the one who's paranoid."

Tim slowly arose from the windowsill, yawning. With Bruce home, he felt a little more comfortable trying to sleep.

"I'm going to try and sleep." Tim sighed.

Bruce stood up, placing a hand on Tim's back.

"I'll be here if you need me."

~

The following morning wasn't any clearer. The light rain turned into a downpour. Tim watched the rain fall from his bedroom window. He heard the door open, but didn't bother looking to see who it was.

"Are you okay?" Alfred's voice softly inquired as he entered the room with Ace not too far behind. "We missed you at breakfast."

"Yeah," Tim sighed, rubbing his eyes, "I just wasn't hungry."

Alfred looked out the window, catching a glimpse of Tim's view. Outside of the weather, there wasn't anything of significant value. Just the dampened yard and scattering critters.

"Why don't you come downstairs?" Alfred invited. "It's much more fun than cooping yourself up here."

"But there's nothing I want to do down there that I can't do up here."

"Except eat. Interacting with your family. Relishing in the freedom that you have. Calling up your friends. Need I go on?"

Tim didn't bother answering that. He knew Alfred could name more and he didn't feel like listening to more.

"Fine." Tim sighed, standing up. "I'll come down."

Ace growled at the window, irked by something, before letting out several loud barks. It startled Tim and got Alfred's attention. Tim started to panic, worrying Alfred. Alfred approached the window, intently searching the scene. Tim painfully held his breath.

"It's just a Persian cat." Alfred sighed. "Miss Kyle's no doubt. In which case, I believe this is Snowball."

Tim sighed in relief, approaching the window. It was just a cat. A fluffy white cat. Alfred sympathetically approached Tim wrapped arms around him.

"I'm sorry." Alfred apologized.

"It's okay." Tim accepted. "It's not your fault."

Alfred released Tim patting him on the back. He gave Tim a soft smile, glad to see him calmed down.

"Let's go." Alfred requested, leading Tim towards the door, before giving Ace some attention to Ace. "As for you, we're going to have to do something about your little outburst. What's the matter with you?"

"Go easy on him Alfred." Tim requested with an amused giggle. "He is Bruce's dog, and that is his chaotic love life's cat."

Hearing Tim giggle pleased Alfred. They walked out of the room together with Ace following close behind.

With the attention off of the yard, the cat exited the premises. Her attention wasn't on them, not even thinking that they noticed her. She trotted down the streets of Gotham, not even noticing the rustling in the bushes behind her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim gets a visitor and Bruce and Alfred have a discussion.

"You're okay." Connor enthusiastically sighed, lifting Tim off of the ground.

When Tim entered the kitchen, he didn't expect any company. His surprise didn't give him time to react. Before Tim knew it, he was wrapped in a Kyrptonian bear hug and lifted off the ground. Tim's feet hovered above the ground and his eyes shot out over Connor's shoulder. Tim's upper arms were crushed as his forearms drooped down.

Everyone else was entertained by the gesture, surprising Tim with Connor's visit. Tim's friends were concerned about his disappearance, but were unable to help due to engagements in their own cities. They also didn't want to overstep their boundaries as far as Bruce was concerned and were warned about how dangerous Ra's al Ghul was.

"I was so worried about you." Connor stated.

Connor's relief was welcomed. Even with the crushing his bear hug was doing, Tim appreciated the concern. Tim patted Connor's back to the best of his ability.

"I'm okay." Tim sighed. "But if you keep crushing me, I might not be."

Connor released Tim letting him land on the floor. Connor was a little apologetic, feeling bad for almost crushing him. Tim shot him an amused, letting Connor know it was okay.

"How are you?" Connor asked. "I haven't seen you in ages."

"I'm doing okay." Tim sighed. "Trying to wrap my head around everything, but I'm doing okay."

Connor nodded. He could understand the feeling to a degree. With everything that happened, it was understandable that Tim needed the time to get back to his normal groove.

"I meant to see you sooner," Connor admitted, "but I was so busy."

"I understand." Tim replied. "Given my schedule as of late, I can't say I wasn't."

Tim laughed awkwardly, hoping to make light of his situation. It didn't seem like it worked as everyone seemed a little hurt by the thought. Tim grimly looked down, embarrassed by the attempt at humor. Connor was the first to take note of Tim's demeanor, chuckling in an attempt to lighten Tim's mood.

"I guess that's true." Connor admitted. "All that adventuring must have kept you busy."

Tim looked up at Connor with a small grin. He appreciated Connor's attempt at lightening the mood. It was just what he needed.

"Unfortunately, I have to go." Connor pouted, patting Tim's shoulder. "I'm needed back in Smallville. I'd love to see you soon."

"I'd love that." Tim agreed.

"I'll see you guys later."

"Thanks for stopping by." Bruce replied.

Tim showed Connor out. Tim thanked Connor for the visit, genuinely happy that Connor had decided to visit. With how homebound he had been, Tim hadn't gotten a chance to see anyone since his rescue. Not that he was in a good enough mood to see anyone. They agreed to meet up once Tim was really settled in. Connor could tell that Tim was still working through some things, which Tim honestly confirmed, and Connor didn't want to hinder that. With that, Connor flew off, waving back at Tim.

Tim returned to the kitchen. Dick and Damian left the room, the latter having school and Dick offered to take him. That just left Alfred and Bruce. Tim approached them, latching onto Bruce.

"Thank you." Tim thanked.

"You're welcome." Bruce replied. "We all thought you could use the company. Though I have to admit, it was Alfred's idea to contact Connor, since he felt that Connor was the best person to cheer you up."

Tim gazed at Alfred, who was giving him a soft grin. It was nice to know that they were looking out for him.

"Thank you Alfred."

"Anything for you Timothy." Alfred replied.

~

Bruce and Damian pulled into the cave after a long night of patrol. As they exited the car, Bruce scanned the cave. He was startled to see that Tim was asleep at the monitor. Bruce didn't think it was a bad thing, but it definitely was a curious one. This was the first time Tim entered the Batcave since his return, since it was one place that Tim was a little anxious to visit, so Bruce couldn't help but wonder why he was there. As Bruce approached Tim, he realized that Tim had the security camera on. It was an interesting sight since there wasn't anything unusual outside.

"He thought he saw Ra's outside." Alfred explained, joining the two. "He came out of his room in a panic, believing he saw the man outside watching him. He rewound the footage so many times, but there was nothing outside. I tried to tell him not to worry, but he wouldn't listen to me in his panicked state." Alfred lightly patted Tim's head. "I put a sedative in his water and he's been out since."

Bruce looked at Tim, who was contorted on the chair in an attempt to get comfortable. He wondered if it was a nightmare or if Tim looked out the window and thought he saw Ra's there, spooking himself in the process. It was dark enough outside for Tim to get confused, so it wasn't unheard of that Tim may have hallucinated something.

"I'm worried Master Bruce." Alfred solemnly admitted. "He's so damaged and scared that it hurts."

"I know." Bruce accepted. "I am too. I hate seeing him like this, but I know he'll get better. He has to." Bruce brushed Tim's bangs to the side. "Ra's has done so much, and I hate to think what else he could have done to break him." Bruce sighed, bothered by the thought. "He's a strong kid. He may not see it now, but he is." Bruce gave Alfred a soft grin. "He'll be okay."

Alfred seemed to accept Bruce's as he made his way upstairs for the night. Bruce looked back down at Tim, giving the teen some attention. Bruce was proud that Tim had managed to make his way here. Even if it was in a paranoid state. It was another small, yet important, step. Bruce didn't want to dote on it long, however, with Tim currently sleeping.

Bruce tucked an arm beneath Tim's legs and the other around his shoulders. As he lifted Tim up, Bruce noticed that Tim was starting to feel lighter. Tim was clearly losing weight and if Bruce had to guess, it was caused by a mix of stress and starvation. Bruce would have to be on Tim about it, and there was no way Bruce was going to let Tim deprive himself.

The stair climb was slow and gentle. Tim unconsciously relished the journey, curling up slightly. Bruce got to Tim's room and carefully situated Tim into bed. The comforter took hid Tim as he curled even tighter into a ball.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim tries on something in an attempt get comfortable with his capture.

Tim stood in front of the full body mirror in his room. He wasn't sure how to feel about the attire he had put himself in. It still fit, but the memories tainting it troubled him. Tim bent and twisted, getting comfortable in the uniform. He didn't avert his gaze as he heard footsteps and mumbled chatter make their way up the stairs. It was Dick, and he was pleased. He just returned from a night of patrol that Bruce finally let him go out on, but who he was talking to was a bit of a mystery. Tim only knew that Dick was on the phone with someone.

"It was great Wally." Dick admitted, revealing the identity to who he was talking to. "I missed flying through the streets of Gotham. Fighting crime. The whole shebang." Dick peered into Tim's room, startled by what Tim was wearing. "I'll call you back."

Dick hung up the phone before Wally could protest and entered Tim's room. He studied Tim carefully, in awe of his Red Robin uniform. It was in pristine condition and fit Tim like a glove. Dick was both concerned and excited for him. The uniform had been patched up, welding up the tears caused by the various stab wounds that Tim had received.

Tim was a little uncomfortable with the observation. It felt like Dick's eyes were taking him apart. Judging him. It was unnerving.

"I was just trying it on." Tim stated, averting his eyes from Dick's as he tried to walk away.

"Hey," Dick gently sighed, grabbing Tim's arms, "it's okay. You look good."

Tim was a little nervous about the complement. He wasn't sure if Dick was being nice or if Dick was taking it the wrong way. Tim didn't want Dick to get the impression that he wanted to go on patrol yet. More footsteps could be heard, distracting them.

"What's going on?" Bruce inquired, entering the room.

He got a good look at Tim, before the teen started to squirm. Bruce approached them, taking over Dick's command. He slung an arm around Tim's shoulder and guided Tim towards the stool at the end of the bed. They sat down and Bruce let Tim speak for himself.

"I just wanted to get used to my uniform." Tim sighed. "I don't want to feel like it should be linked with my trauma."

"Of course." Bruce understood. "I wouldn't want your staple to be tainted by such a thing."

Tim sighed, leaning against Bruce's side. He observed his appearance a little more. He was well aware that there was a few things he should explain now that he was in his uniform.

"I'm not ready to go on patrol." Tim stated.

"I didn't think you were." Bruce admitted.

"You're not mad, are you?"

Bruce was a little surprised by his question. He didn't want Tim to feel like he was disappointing him since what happened wasn't his fault. Bruce wrapped his arm around Tim's shoulders.

"No." Bruce denied. "Why should I be mad at you?"

"Because I'm not going on patrol."

Bruce couldn't help but mentally roll his eyes at the notion. If Tim really believed that, it was nonsense. Patrol was a key part of their routine, but Bruce wasn't holding Tim's absence against him.

"I can't be upset with that." Bruce stated. "You're healing Tim and I'm letting you do that on your own terms. I don't want to force you to do anything. This was a big and surprising step for you."

Bruce rubbed Tim's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. If Bruce had it his way, Tim wouldn't have gotten this far this fast. The only reason Dick did was because Dick was really into it. He was getting through his trauma quick. Bruce considered it a little unhealthy just how quick Dick was getting passed it, but Dick was different. If worse came to worse, Bruce knew Dick would open up to Bruce, coming to Bruce, or even Alfred, without a moment's thought.

Tim was different. He took things slow. He also had a bad habit of hiding his problems, something that Bruce could usually detect. Getting it out of Tim could be challenging, but Bruce had his ways. Though Bruce also knew to give Tim time and space when he needed it.

"When you are ready to go on patrol, I'm more than willing to entertain it." Bruce admitted. "But I'll leave that up to you."

"I will too." Dick chimed in, kneeling in front of Tim. "I do miss seeing you out there, but I don't want to rush you."

Tim was comforted by their words. He was relieved that Bruce wasn't upset with him and was glad that Dick wasn't too excited with him wearing his Red Robin attire. They both responded with the right amount of excitement and intrigue that Tim preferred.

"It's been a long night." Bruce deduced, changing the subject. "Why don't we get some sleep?"

Tim nodded in affirmation. It had been a long night for all of them and he could admit that he was a little tired. Bruce tapped Tim on the back, signaling for Tim to get into some pajamas. Tim hopped off of the stool, grabbed some pajamas, and ran towards the bathroom.

~

A few nights later, everything seemed to be going normally. Bruce and Damian were prepped for patrol and Dick planned on joining them. The sounds of footsteps distracted them, causing the trio to look towards the stairs. To their surprise, Tim was coming down clad in his Red Robin attire.

Bruce was the one to approach Tim. He was curious as to why Tim was down here in uniform. Maybe Tim was trying to get comfortable in the cave while he was in uniform. Bruce wanted to doubt that Tim would want to go on patrol. It was an option Bruce wasn't sure that Tim was ready for.

"Is everything okay?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Tim confirmed.

"What are you doing in your uniform, if you don't mind me asking."

Tim looked at Bruce, with an earnest gaze. He was a little nervous about making his request. Tim bit his lip, mustering up the courage to speak.

"I want to go on patrol."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim decides to give patrol a trial run.

"Are you kidding me?" Bruce anxiously asked, firmly holding onto Tim. "You told me just the other day that you weren't ready."

Bruce was having a challenge with keeping a lid on the question. He didn't believe that Tim was ready. Quite frankly, he didn't even think that Tim really thought he was ready either.

"I just want to see how I'll fair." Tim explained. "I don't expect it to go well. I don't even know if this is a wise choice. However, I want to know for certain. This will be a test run."

Bruce was glad that Tim was acknowledging the negative components. He still didn't like the idea, but it was nice to know that Tim wasn't in denial.

"Please."

Tim's weary eyes begged Bruce to let him do this. It stung Bruce a little. He wanted Tim to have a say in what he did, but Bruce wasn't comfortable with it. This was what Tim wanted, processed even, and he didn't want to deny him.

"An hour." Bruce agreed, thinking that was a good enough restriction. "If everything goes well, you can stay out for the whole night. If not, you will report home. No questions asked."

"Understood."

~

The night was initially quiet. They hadn't seen much crime yet, but given how young the night was a good thing. Nightwing was taking care of a robbery downtown and would follow up on a lead relating to a drug shipment after that. Tim was trotting close to Batman and Robin while they went to meet Commissioner Gordon.

Gordon was surprised to see Red Robin out and about. He heard about Red Robin's disappearance and return, and wasn't expecting him on patrol. Batman had made it clear that the teen was going to be homebound for a while, but here he was, nervously surveying his surroundings.

"This is a test." Batman filled in, sensing Gordon's curiosity. "What do you have?"

"Penguin's out." Gordon replied. "Apparently he's causing a ruckus at his casino."

"I'll get it taken care of."

Gordon nodded. He switched his attention back to Red Robin. The teen seemed to calm down some, but was still a bit paranoid.

"It was good to see you kid."

"Good to see you too." Red Robin agreed, offering a handshake.

When they returned their attentions back to Batman, thankfully he was still there. He and Robin were on the ledge now, but they were still there. Red Robin knew why, and Gordon had a sense of the reason too. Red Robin bolted towards them.

Tim managed to trail behind them quite a bit. After mentioning their encounter with Gordon, Batman and Robin began to plan how they were going to handle Penguin. Tim felt lost as he started to scan their surroundings.

Before he knew it, he could barely see them, causing him to quicken his pace. The dark silent aura surrounding him made him feel nervous. Every little sound startled him. He didn't even have a chance to react before something swooped him up.

A scream echoed through the streets. It caught Batman and Robin off guard. It was then that they realized that Tim was gone. Batman's blood went cold, and bolted towards the screaming sound.

~

Tim was kicking and screaming in terror. His heart was racing and his eyes were tightly closed. He had no idea who grabbed him and was in a panic. Tim was trembling, but that wasn't going to stop him.

"Let me go!" Tim screamed. "Let me go, let me go let me go!"

"Relax!" A voice tried to soothe. "Tim, it's me."

The figure turned Tim around, revealing themselves. With the right amount of lighting and eyes finally opening up, Tim immediately recognized the individual as Jason. Tim felt a sense of relief, but he was near tears. Jason picked this up, shocked by it. A hand clamped on the side of Tim's face, causing Tim to flinch.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"Tim!" Batman's voice boomed.

Batman and Robin found the alleyway that Tim and Jason were hiding in. Batman's attention bounced between the two, before storming towards Tim. He grabbed the teen and studied him for injuries, removing Tim's cowl. He wasn't harmed, but his traumatic gaze was suspicious.

"What did you do?" Batman accused.

"I didn't do anything." Jason defensively argued. "I just wanted him to tag along for a venture against Black Mask and he freaked out even though we've done this several times before."

"Don't be mad at him." Tim defended. "He doesn't know."

Tim's statement caught Jason's attention. It was curious since Jason hadn't seen Tim recently. Whatever he didn't know could explain Tim's absence and reaction.

"What don't I know?" Jason asked. "What happened?"

Batman sighed. He didn't want to tell Tim's story, especially with Tim present. Batman looked down at Tim to get a feeling for what the teen thought. Tim gave him a nod, letting him know that it was okay to tell Jason.

"He was abducted by Ra's." Batman told. "He was isolated for about two months and was beaten and mentally tortured."

Jason eyed Tim shocked and sympathetic. Whatever Ra's did must have really affected Tim for his reaction to be like this.

"And you let this happen?"

"No. I spent the entire time trying to locate him _and_ Dick, who might I mention, was Deathstroke's prisoner. I got them back in pain."

Jason wasn't expecting to hear that. If losing one Robin wasn't bad enough, losing two had to be devastating. And while Jason knew how violent Deathstroke was, he was more concerned about Ra's.

"I've been helping him recover ever since." Batman mentioned. "How much Tim has hidden from me, if anything, I don't know."

"Was he…?"

"Good heavens no. But he is hurt, and he is slowly recovering."

Jason looked at Tim, who seemed calm down.

"I'm sorry. If I had known, I wouldn't have grabbed him."

Batman's attention shifted towards Tim. A darkened expression observed him before a hand ran through Tim's hair.

"To be honest, I'm kind of glad you did."

Both Tim and Jason looked at him confused. Batman's expression softened slightly. He didn't want to frighten Tim, but he was being honest.

"I think I speak for the both of us when I say that you weren't entirely ready." Batman elaborated. "This surprised helped prove that." Batman sighed. "I think you need to go home."

Tim was about to argue his demand before biting his tongue. Batman had a point. Tim could admit that if he was really ready, he wouldn't have reacted the way that he did. Not to mention, it had only been about forty five minutes, fifteen minutes short of his test run.

"Take him home." Batman requested.

"Will do." Jason agreed.

Batman gave Tim his attention once more. He gave Tim a soft grin.

"I'll see you in a little, okay?"

"Okay." Tim sighed.

Tim approached Jason, who slung his arm over Tim's shoulder. Jason carefully began to guide Tim along.

"Keep him safe." Batman ordered.

"Yeah, yeah." Jason replied, waving his free hand at them. "Don't worry, I have it handled."

~

Jason got Tim to the Batcave without trouble. Alfred had already been notified and was ready for their arrival. He was glad to see that Tim was unharmed, but Tim's shaking frame was concerning. He was about to approach them to help, but Jason shot him a glance, letting Alfred know he would handle it.

Tim took a seat on the stairs, resting his head in his hands. Jason sat beside him. He took in Tim's physical response as he processed the news he just learned.

"I messed up." Tim chocked.

"You didn't mess up." Jason sighed.

"But I freaked out."

Jason didn't respond to that. While that may have been true, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Nor was it something that Tim should be at fault for. As far as Jason was concerned, it was a natural, human response.

"Look I don't know what Ra's did to you or what kind of turmoil he put you in, but that's not your fault." Jason explained. "Your response isn't wrong. It's hurt and human, and you're still trying to heal."

"But I've disappointed Bruce."

That struck a nerve. Jason couldn't believe that Tim thought he was disappointing Bruce. There was nothing to support that. Nothing that Jason could see.

"You didn't disappoint him." Jason argued. "What I saw wasn't even close to that." He thoughtfully looked at Tim. "I saw a man worried for his child. A man who was almost pale by the thought that you were being hurt."

Blue eyes looked at Jason with. Tim was thankful that Jason said that. It helped clear his head a little, even if he still had a lingering suspicion about Bruce's feelings

"I know you'll get better." Jason stated before standing up. "I better get going. Black Mask isn't going to turn himself in anytime soon."

Tim smirked. He was impressed that Jason, not only was willing to comfort him, but at the same time was thinking about what unconventional good he had to do.

"Thank you." Tim replied.

"No problem." Jason replied with a wave. "Just don't tell Bruce."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim comes down with a slight fever and has another nightmare.

Tim was scrunched up on his bed. The blanket took shape of Tim's upwards knees and draped down to Tim's hip. Tim had been awake fir a bit, but didn't have the energy to get up just yet. Bruce saw him after he came home, like he promised, and after a conversation about patrol, let Tim sleep on the fact that he didn't blame him and that they'd try again later. Tim could agree, but it didn't make it any less troubling. He still felt bad about his reaction, even if it was an understandable and realistic one. It just hurt Tim's pride knowing that there were still boundaries to his recovery.

The door cracked open, not even fazing Tim. From the weight of the footsteps, he could tell it was Bruce. Bruce didn't seem impressed by Tim's position. It looked woefully drab and kind of pathetic if he was honest.

Bruce walked over to the bed. Rather than stand there, he decided to join Tim on the bed. He sat again the bedframe, resting one hand behind his head and let the other rest beside him. Bruce looked at Tim earnestly. The teen's motionlessness was interesting, but not unheard of.

"So, are we just going to mope all day in bed?" Bruce asked. "Or are we going to be productive?"

Tim didn't answer. He shifted his head so that he was facing the window. Bruce shuffled in the bed slightly.

"I have to admit, your bed is pretty comfortable."

Tim still didn't respond. It was a little bothering, but Bruce had an inkling as to why he was.

"Are you still upset about last night?" Bruce inquired. "Because if you are, there's no reason for you to."

Tim leaned over, using Bruce as a cushion. That seemed to be his way of accepting Bruce's statement. Bruce's arm moved from behind his head and wrapped it around Tim, briefly nudging his shoulder.

"I don't feel good." Tim sighed.

Bruce's hand brushed against Tim's forehead. He was definitely warm, there was no denying that. However, Bruce had a feeling that it wasn't caused by something external. What he was more impressed with was the fact that Tim was admitting to not feeling well. He never did unless they interrogated him long enough or if he passed out because of it. Whichever came first.

"Must be from the stress." Bruce observed. "You haven't been out enough to catch anything, so it has to be the stress of going out and the recent excitement. You should rest."

Bruce moved off the bed and repositioned Tim. He made sure to lay Tim on his side and Tim got himself comfortable. Bruce draped the blanket over his shoulders and left the room. He came back with a damp towel and rested it on Tim's forehead.

"I'll check on you in a little bit, okay?" Bruce quietly stated.

Tim moaned. It was enough to get the point across and let Bruce knew he heard. Bruce slowly closed the door, allowing Tim to rest.

~

_Tim was chained to a wall within a dungeon on fire. The flames weren't coming towards him, but he was panicked enough not to care. He tried to twist and turn his wrists out of the chains. It wasn't looking good, but that didn't stop Tim from trying._

_He didn't know where he was. Not that he was keen on finding out. All Tim cared about was getting free._

_A figure walked through the flames. An all too familiar one at that. Ra's al Ghul approached Tim, unfazed by the flames._

_He said nothing as he approached Tim. A smug grin was maliciously sat on his face. Once Ra's got close to Tim, he grabbed Tim's face and forced him to look at him. Tim looked at him frightened, not wanting to think about what was going on._

_"It'll be okay." Ra's tried to comfort. "I will always be here for you."_

Tim bolted awake with a gasp, sitting up. As he scanned the room, he realized that he was in the manor and was still in bed. It was dark, leading Tim to realize that it was night. A shuffling sound startled him causing him to look on his bed.

He could barely see what was there. It looked like a dark lump. Tim gently ran a hand to the area in question to try and identify the source of the noise. He felt a body, which was startling, but as he inspected the features, he was able to calm down. It was Bruce. The size and hairline were a giveaway, once Tim deduced it.

Tim relaxed, lying back down and curled up. He didn't feel as warm as before, which must have meant that his fever was clearing up, but still felt groggy. He was also feeling the heat of embarrassed, especially since he wasn't expecting to have company. When Bruce could have possibly snuck in he had no idea. Which lead to the question to why Bruce was there. Did Bruce hear him have a nightmare and come to comfort him? Was Bruce so tired that he didn't realized that he was in Tim's room? Or, was Bruce worried about leaving him alone while he was sick and wanted to be there if Tim needed him?

Tim wasn't going to get an answer anytime soon, that much was certain, so he figured he might as well enjoy it. He subconsciously inched closer to Bruce. It wasn't as frightening now that he knew who it was. An arm subconsciously draped itself on him. It twitched as Bruce's breathing shifted.

"Nightmare?" Bruce yawned.

"Uh-huh." Tim sighed.

Bruce's arm forced Tim a little closer. Close enough for Tim to feel the warmth emanating off of Bruce. It helped Tim feel more comfortable and the proximity made him feel.

"It's okay."

Tim simply breathed deeply. He didn't have the energy to continue a conversation. Not that he had much else to talk about. Eyes drooped, too heavy to keep Tim up.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick takes Tim to his appointment with Leslie and finds out a little more about what Tim is harboring.

At breakfast, Tim was able to get some answers. Bruce had snuck into his room to check on Tim, just like he had hypothesized. Apparently, Tim woke up in a daze after a peculiar dream about being covered in pollen and chased by bunnies. The epitome of a fever dream if there ever was one. Not that Tim really recalled having that dream in the first place. After Bruce was able to calm him down and get Tim back to sleep, he claimed that was tired and too lazy to go back to his own room for the night and crashed in Tim's room. Plus, Bruce wanted to be there incase Tim needed him, confirming another of Tim's theories.

It didn't bother Tim that Bruce did this. He even admitted that he appreciated the gesture. He just wished he was a little more lucid when it happened, regretting that he couldn't enjoy it. Thankfully, however, it appeared that Tim's fever broke during the night. That was a victory in its own right.

Bruce's phone went off, forcing him to excuse himself. He didn't go far, just to the kitchen's doorway. It wasn't a bad call from what everyone could tell. The conversation seemed pleasant enough. Once he got off the phone, Bruce returned to the table.

"Leslie wants to see you." Bruce stated. "She wants to give you a check up and see how you are."

"Okay." Tim accepted.

"Can I take him?" Dick asked.

They both looked at Dick puzzled. Dick seemed a little too eager about his request. Something about it didn't seem right.

"You've been hogging him." Dick accused. "I just want to spend a little time with him. Even if it is for a doctor's appointment."

"I agree." Damian chimed in. "No offense to Grayson, but I'd like to spend time with you father."

Bruce first thought was to look at Tim. He could see their argument, not that he gave it much thought before that point. Bruce also was curious about Tim's thoughts about it. It wasn't like Tim was opposed to the attention.

"Are you okay with that?" Bruce asked. "I don't want to make a decision without your opinion."

"Sure." Tim accepted. "I wouldn't mind Dick taking me. After all, who am I to want to deprive your little demon out of some father son bonding?"

"Alright." Bruce turned his attention back to Dick. "His appointment is at noon."

~

Dick and Tim got to Leslie Thompkins' office building on time and with no issue. The nurse brought them to her office and they patiently waited for her. Tim was required to stay on one chair, while Dick was sitting in another. Tim was eying the door intently. He was kind of dreading the encounter, but he knew it was a necessary one. Dick was a little nervous too. He hadn't been there for the previous appointments, Bruce being the sole handler of them. He wasn't sure what to expect.

The door creaked open as Leslie entered the room. She was studying her chart before she looked at them. She was a little surprised to see Dick, but didn't want to be rude.

"Hey." Leslie greeted.

"Hey Leslie." Dick replied, approaching her for a brief hug. "How are you?"

"Good. Surprised that Bruce isn't here though."

"I thought I'd bring him today. Plus, our little gremlin wanted to spend some time with daddy dearest."

Leslie nodded before turning her attention to Tim. She adjusted her stethoscope so that they covered her ear. She delicately held the other end.

"I need you to take your shirt off so we can get this physical started." Leslie stated.

Tim listened, sliding his shirt off in silence. She placed the end of the stethoscope on his chest to get his heart rate. She than shifted to his back to hear his lungs.

Dick let Leslie do her job as he inspected his room. His attention fell onto Tim's back. His eyes traced along the lettering on his back. The thought of Ra's burning that onto Tim's back was painful. He doubted that it would ever go away. It would always be a physical, and by extent a psychological, scar. Not that anyone wanted him to dwell on it.

Dick wasn't able to stare at it for long as Leslie allowed him to put his shirt back on. She moved onto getting Tim's blood pressure. Thankfully it was normal. She then checked his eyes, ears and throat before taking his temperature. She took the thermometer out and carefully studied it.

"His temperature is a pinch higher than usual." Leslie noted.

"Yeah, he got a fever yesterday." Dick filled in. "It cleared up last night. Bruce made sure he got sleep and plenty of fluids. He believes it was from the stress Tim's had over the last few days."

"That's always a possibility. Especially with your line of work and Tim's overall recovery. I'll recommend that he keeps it simple today. Tim's fine, but I'd hate for his fever to return."

"I'll be sure that Bruce stays on top of that."

Leslie leaned against her desk and set her clipboard down. She eyed Tim with concerned curiosity.

"So, what would you like to talk about today?" Leslie asked. "Since we have Dick here, is there anything about him and his capture that you'd like to address?"

Tim shrugged. He looked at Dick nervously before turning it back to Leslie.

"No." Tim sighed. "I'd rather talk about my parents' deaths."

"Would it be better if I leave?" Dick asked, standing up. "I wouldn't want to be detrimental to your session."

"No." Leslie refused. "I've been trying to get him to open up about his capture. I've gotten grief for his parents. Self-inflicted hatred and disappointment. Even his fears. But one thing I haven't gotten him to open up about, is his response to juggling his capture with yours."

Dick slide back down. He gazed at Tim concerned. Dick knew he harbored some guilt from their capture. It didn't help that Dick knew that Tim had seen him battered and bruised. Neither Dick nor Leslie spoke, waiting for Tim to speak.

"I could have stopped all of this." Tim weakly admitted, leaning forward. "If I had just stood my ground, we wouldn't have gotten captured. I know Dick would have listened to me eventually. Heck, we might have even gotten Batman to help." Tim covered his eyes with his hand. "He wouldn't have been beaten to near death. I shouldn't care about what happened to me when I knew he was going through what he did and didn't do anything."

Tim started to falter. His breath became shaky and tears bleed down his face. Dick was hurt by Tim's admission. He thought that Tim had had let that go, or at least have lessened his regret towards it. Dick walked over to Tim, kneeling in front of the chair.

"Hey, it's okay." Dick whispered, gently hugging Tim.

"You don't understand." Tim argued. "I wasn't nearly as damaged as you were. I can't stand the fact that you can be so unfazed about this with everything that's happened."

"First off, this isn't solely for you to carry. In hindsight, I should have listened to you the first time you said something. Yes, there was no confirming that it was a setup with the evidence we were provided, but I should have listened to you." Dick let out a sigh. "And as far as my recovery, remember what I told you. I'm processing it my way. But let me tell you something." Dick cupped Tim's face making Tim look at him. "When I was captured, I was worried about you. Yes, I was dealing with my own trauma, but I couldn't ignore your pain. You were emotionally manipulated. Forced to see what happened to your parents. Left with Ra's, a man who, may I remind you, would do anything to get under your skin and convert you over to his side. How could that not be horrific?" Dick was concerned, and his stare showed it. "You need to stop worrying about me. I'm the oldest, so if anything. I should be the one worrying about you. You need to focus on yourself this time and worry about your recovery."

Tim slide off of the chair, embracing Dick. He buried his head in Dick's shoulder, soaking it with tears. Dick ran a hand through Tim's hair, resting it on the back of Tim's head.

Leslie believed that this was a sign of progress. She hoped that this was a sign that he was starting to let go of his regret. If he could do that, maybe he could begin the transition back to his normal, happier self.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim has a video call with Cassie and Bart and Alfred puts his two bents in.

"Oh my gosh," Cassie gasped, "it's been so long. I'm so glad to see you."

She stood in front of a camera that was projecting into the Batcave. Tim was comfortably sitting in the chair, watching the monitor. He brought up a video call while he waited for Bruce to get home, desiring communication.

Tim was just glad to see his friends, as he relaxed in the chair. Outside of Conner, he hadn't contacted the other Titans and truly missed them. He was glad to get a video chat going with the time that he had .

"Is that Tim?" Bart's voice inquired, shoving his way into the frame. "Hey buddy!" Bart was excited to see Tim in good health, which was a reasonable response. "You look great."

"I know right?" Cassie complemented. "He looks as good as new. Physically that is. We heard about you're anxiety, but you're in the cave and in uniform. Something Conner said you hadn't done yet." She focused her attention towards Tim. "I'm so happy for you."

"Move!" A voice commanded.

Conner burst through the duo, getting a close up on the screen. Tim smirked, amused by the display. Everyone's excitement was well welcomed and their frantic attempt to see him was amusing. More than anything, Tim just enjoyed their warm greetings.

"You're moving along so well." Conner complemented. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." Tim replied, rubbing the back of his head. "But enough about proud sentiments, how are you guys?"

"We're doing good." Cassie replied. "We miss you though. It's not the same without you." Cassie sighed with slight disappointment. "I know you don't plan on coming back for a while. Not until you're ready, which I understand. However, we just miss you and can't wait for you to come back."

Tim leaned forward a little. He could understand the sentiment. He wanted to return to the Tower because he missed his friends and the routine, but knew he wasn't ready for that step. Tim was thankful that they at the very least understood that.

"I know." Tim admitted. "I want to come back too." His mind bounced back to his attempted patrol. "I just can't. If I can't go on patrol without the fear of being snatched in my home city, I can't even imagine the level of anxiety I'd have being on the other side of the country."

It was disheartening to hear Tim's doubts. As understandable as they were, the fact that he was still having doubts was troubling. Cassie wasn't the only one to think that either. Bart wanted to Tim to recover, but Bart wanted his friend back.

Conner seemed to be the only one to comprehend Tim the best. Having been the only one to have physical contact with Tim, Conner could sense Tim's trouble. He could hear the terror in his heart and feel the stress in Tim's body.

Beeping interrupted Cassie's train of thought, causing her to look around. Conner and Bart did as well. Cassie turned her attention back to Tim, ready to explain the situation.

"We gotta go." Cassie stated. "H.I.V.E. is causing a ruckus. You'd better contact us again soon."

"Will do." Tim replied with a smile. "Kick their butts for me."

"Don't we always."

The screen went black, ending the call. Tim sighed, leaning forward. He was glad to see the Titans, even if it was for a short while. Seeing them smiling and happy was endearing, and their company was nice. Unfortunately, the sentiment was short lived.

Tim pulled up several screens. Two were cameras and two were newspaper clippings. He was intent on finding evidence of League of Assassin activity. He had been doing this in secret as of late while everyone else was on patrol. All anyone knew was that Tim was in the cave in an attempt to get comfortable there. Tim just wanted closure. If he could find something to link back to Ra's, they could apprehend him. They could get rid of him and Tim could finally put everything behind him.

"I doubt this is very healthy Master Timothy." Alfred stated. "All you're doing is giving yourself more stress."

"I have to know where he is out there Alfred." Tim replied. "If I could get him put away, maybe I can get over this. I've failed to prevent this and I must reconcile it."

Alfred quietly approached the chair. He turned it around with Tim giving no resistance. Alfred's exhausted demeanor exposed his distress for Tim's choices. He didn't like that Tim was doing this. Putting himself through unnecessary grief in order to punish himself for something that wasn't his fault.

"This is not your cross to bear." Alfred stated. "You're already suffering so much. Can't you just leave this alone and let Master Bruce handle this?"

"But I have to do something."

That was all he seemed to focus on and it couldn't be healthy the way he was doing it. Ra's needed to be apprehended, that much was certain, but it needed to be handled properly. And properly, Tim was not doing. As far as Alfred could tell, it was unneeded self-loathing under the guise of closure.

"Heal." Alfred requested. "That's what you can do. Just leave this alone."

Tim couldn't refuse Alfred any longer. He was trying so hard to stop Tim and wasn't going to let it go. Tim didn't want to hurt Alfred more. At least not this night.

"Okay." Tim softly agreed.

Tim slowly stood up as Alfred gave him room to move. While he was going to listen to Alfred's request, he didn't plan on leaving the cave until Bruce got home. He whistled, catching the attention of Ace. The German Shepard bolted towards Tim excited.

Tim crouched down to give the dog a friendly hair ruffle. Ace was all the entertainment he needed at the moment to keep him busy. Ace was just glad to get the attention as he frantically wagged his tail, and Tim got the relief of having some company from man's best friend.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim admits a troubling issue and things only seem to get worse.

Tim creeped into the kitchen, eyeing the occupants, which consisted of Alfred, Bruce, and Dick. His focus was primarily on Bruce, who was reading the daily newspaper. Tim quietly slid into the chair next to Bruce. His hand grabbed for Bruce's hand, prompting Bruce to put the paper down. Tim was troubled, and it didn't take a genius to figure that out. His eyes fidgeting while keeping his focus on Bruce and his mouth took on a contorted frown.

"Can we talk?" Tim quietly asked before looking around the room. "Alone."

Bruce briefly scanned the room. It didn't bother him that Tim wanted the seclusion, but Bruce wanted to make sure the others didn't want him. Dick wasn't bothered, smiling, and Alfred simply nodded.

"Of course." Bruce agreed, getting off of the chair.

Tim got up as well. He turned, making his way towards the door. Tim led Bruce down the den. Neither one took a seat as Bruce curiously watched Tim, wondering what Tim wanted to talk about.

Tim fidgeted, looking at the ground. He was a little nervous to bring up his topic, but he really wanted to. It had been a good few days, but Tim still had a few questions and concerns.

"Have you found Ra's?" Tim asked.

Bruce was disheartened by Tim's inquiry. Not just because he was asking it, but the fact he was asking about it again. And if he wanted to talk about this in private, there had to be more.

"I thought we told you to stop focusing on that." Bruce recalled. "You know we would never let him take you."

"It's not just that Bruce."

Tim paced around the room until he stood squarely in the middle. He gazed at the fireplace as he folded his arms. In Tim's eyes was distraught bitterness.

"I woke up last night with a sick realization." Tim coldly admitted. "One that disgusts me dearly."

Bruce approached Tim worryingly. He reached a hand out to comfort the teen, only for him to shift. Tim turned around, looking up at Bruce with resentful anxiety.

"Part of me actually misses him." Tim revealed, clenching his collar.

That was a revelation that Bruce thought he'd never hear. Tim wanting to get anywhere near Ra's was a more realistic idea. But missing Ra's was a whole new ball game. He didn't want it to be true. It had to be the stress of not finding Ra's talking.

"I know that's a terrible notion and I should resent him with every fiber in my body." Tim acknowledged, now shaking. "But deep down, a part of misses his company. I know he was trying to manipulate me, but I liked how he tried being nice to me." Tim's eyes started to water. "I'm horrible."

"No." Bruce calmly denied. "You're not horrible." Bruce welcomed Tim with a hug. "You were manipulated. A ploy Ra's is known for."

"But…"

"But nothing. Tim, you and I both know that. You're a good kid. A great kid. And, similarly to Dick, your moxie sometimes brings the wrong kind of attention. However, unlike Dick, you're harder to gauge. Not many people can read you. Unfortunately, Ra's is one of those select few who can, and he's willing to manipulate it." Bruce morbidly sighed. "Even now, he's trying to manipulate you. Trying to make you attached to him. Force you to crave his attention."

"He was the only one who actively believed me when I said you weren't dead." Tim sorrowfully admitted.

Bruce remembered that situation. While everyone else was reasonable grieving, Tim seemed to be the only one rejecting the idea of him being dead. From what Bruce heard, Tim may have gotten caught up with the League of Assassins to prove his point. Bruce didn't really approve of it, but it didn't matter when all was said and done.

Tim was released from Bruce's grip long enough for Bruce to grab the sides of his face. Tim couldn't muster up a smile, but he seemed a little more relaxed. A thumb traced along the rim of Tim's eye, clearing the tears.

"We just have to keep moving forward, okay?" Bruce presented.

~

Chaos seemed to overtake Gotham this night. Nightwing was dealing with a drug bust across town, brought on by none other than Two Face. Jason was handling Black Mask. All the while, Batman and Robin were dealing with a slew of unexplained killings and explosions.

Tim was stuck in the Batcave monitoring the city. There was several orange glows scattered in the city. He was having some difficulty processing it all. What could have possibly caused this chaos was an enigma to him. An enigma that he didn't like.

"It's okay." Alfred attempted to comfort. "They'll be okay."

"I don't know what to do." Tim stated. "On the one hand it'd be wise for me to stay here, but at the same time, I can't just stand by and watch."

"If you ask me, the firmer sounds more reasonable. You yourself can admit that you aren't quite ready."

Looking back at the screen another time. Another explosion went off, startling Tim. Concern for everyone's safety was through the roof as Tim's fists curled in distress. The explosion was close to where Batman and Robin were, and Tim couldn't tell if they had been hit. He looked back at Alfred mortified.

"I'm going after them." Tim frantically decided, bolting for the exit.

"You can't." Alfred argued, grabbing Tim's arm. "I can't let you go and risk your life."

"I have to. They could be hurt."

"Please reconsider. I can't bear to think about what could happen to you."

They stared at each other, firmly rooted in their decisions. Tim could understand Alfred's concerns, he really could, but he had to go. Even if he wasn't thinking about the situation entirely straight. He couldn't bear to think that something bad happened to Bruce. The remaining guilt wouldn't let him.

"I have to."

~

Tim huffed, scanning the city. He was in cowl and wanted to find Batman. He had a tracker in his hand and keep an eye on it to keep an eye out for Batman's location. He was going to find them, no matter what. He wasn't even paying much mind to his surroundings.

A hand clamped around Tim's nose and mouth. In a panic, Tim began to squirm and kick. He knew what was going on. Between him and the hand was a rag infused with some sort of liquid that seeped into Tim's nostrils. Tim continued to struggle, but he began to fade in and out of consciousness.

That didn't stop him from gently tapping a tracking device as he investigated his surroundings. He had to get a warning out. Tim's observation helped him confirm that he could feel a firm build behind him and the hand around his mouth felt cold. Another arm was wrapped around his torso, attempting to silence his squirming.

"Take it easy." A voice soothingly requested, vibrating behind Tim. "I don't need you to hurt yourself."

Tim could recognize the voice. He knew it all too well. Unfortunately, his mind couldn't hold on to the memory. It couldn't even process his surroundings. Tim wasn't able to stay awake as his body went limp. His sight went black, leaving Tim in an anxious and confused limbo.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim wakes up and finds himself in an all too familiar situation. One he doesn't want to be in.

Yellow light seeped through Tim's eyelids as Tim woke up. As he stretched out, he thought that Bruce must have found him and brought him home. However, after rubbing his eyes, Tim realized that his belief was false. The room was lit with candles that reflected off of the walls. The bed was huge, covered with the best linen blankets and a transparent canopy sheet surrounded it.

Looking down, that wasn't the only thing out of the ordinary. Tim realized that he was no longer in his Red Robin uniform. Instead, he was wearing a red, long sleeved silk shirt. The collar dipped slightly, stopping just barely beneath his collar bones. It was coupled with a black pair of pants.

All of this unfamiliarity shook Tim. Gasps and hyperventilated breath were all that could escape Tim's mouth as he frantically scanned the room. Memories began to come back, and the implications behind them scared him.

"Good. You're awake." A voice greeted.

Tim's attention snapped towards the voice. His heart dropped, more so than it had already. Ra's was in the room, standing in front of the bed. He was studying Tim intently, clearly waiting for Tim to wake up. Tim was clenching at his shirt, firmly holding his hand over his heart.

"I had to burn your uniform." Ra's stated. "We don't need any pesky bugs finding us. Plus, this suits you so much better. You look so. I should know, I chose it."

Tim was disgusted by the statement. His skin crawled knowing that Ra's was responsible for the wardrobe change. Especially when he considered that Ra's was the one to put him in it. His fist clenched harder at the thought.

"Don't worry, you haven't been deflowered." Ra's admitted.

Tim wanted to be relieved with the declaration, but he couldn't be. All hopes of that were dashed when Ra's approached the bedside. Tim curled up and tried to scoot away. Ra's' hand stopped him as it clamped on the side of Tim's face, forcing him to look at Ra's.

"If I wanted to do that, I'd prefer my partner to be conscious and kicking."

That only disgusted Tim more. Though, it was nice to know that Ra's didn't pull anything. With that in mind, Tim wasn't about to sit still. His panic and will to escape wasn't about to let him sit there longer than he should.

"I'm not going to stay for this." Tim scoffed. "I'm not going to wait this out in the hopes of a rescue."

Tim got off the bed, ignoring Ra's as he went for the door. He only got a few steps away when a harsh tug chocked his neck and pulled him back. Tim landed on the floor, investigating what caused his fall. A chain was in Ra's' hand and Tim felt something metallic around his neck.

"It may not be as barbaric as the shock collar, but it'll still does the job of restraining you." Ra's explained. "For now, you are not a prisoner, but a pet. At least until you're broken enough to accept your fate."

"Do you really thing I'll agree to that?" Tim offensively scoffed, standing up. "Do you really thing Bruce or any of my contacts will let you get away with this?"

"The detective won't be able to find you once we've moved. Any tracker in your uniform or on your person had been destroyed. And as far as friends, they'll be too busy dealing with the clone's poisoning."

It was alarming for Tim to hear about Conner in such a light. Referred term aside, the nearly indestructible Kryptonian hybrid was a challenge to take down. So hearing that he was hurt was impressive, but at the same time disheartening.

"You poisoned him?" Tim growled.

"I didn't do anything," Ra's argued, "I just know that a shipment of kryptonite made its way into Jump City and some may have pierced your friend."

Tim's breath hitched. He was well aware of the damage from such a blow. Even if he was half Kryptonian, Conner couldn't handle such a wound. If not treated promptly, it could kill him.

Tim shoved his fear back to, replacing it with rage. He didn't deserve to be in this situation. Conner didn't deserve to be hurt.

"How dare you." Tim growled.

A fist flew towards Ra's, which was quickly intercepted by Ra's, who knocked it out of the way. Ra's then grabbed Tim's collar and slammed him against the wall. Tim stiffly gasped because of the hit, before starting to squirm.

"Come now, don't throw my hospitality to the wind so soon." Ra's gently recommended.

"You've kidnapped me, again, and tainted my friend." Tim coldly reminded. "How can I not be offended? Not to mention, you just said you want me to be your pet."

"Only temporarily."

Hands moved from Tim's collar and creeped towards his neck. Fingers lightly danced over it before wrapping around it. They steadily began to apply pressure, crushing Tim's trachea. Breathing clearly became difficult and Tim was starting to panic.

"Wh… What are you doing?" Tim weakly asked.

"Making the caged bird sing."

Tim was dragged along to the main hall for Ra's to make a speech. If the leash wasn't demeaning enough, the fresh bruises around his neck weren't helping. Fighting against the restraint wasn't an option, since every attempt to fight it was returned with a hard pull on the instrument.

Ra's and Tim stood before Ra's' men with little to no qualm. Though a little unexpected, none of the assassin seemed care that Tim was there. None of them visually emote their thoughts on the display.

"I come before you to relieve you of your duties at this post." Ra's declared. "We have to move so we can keep the detective off of our trail."

The assassins glared at Tim for a moment. Curiosity finally started to show itself. Ra's was willing to fill them in where their minds could not. He pulled Tim closer, holding the teen beside him. Ra's' grip firmly stayed on Tim's shoulder.

"I know the young detective's presence may be a bit of a shock, but he's here." Ra's stated. "And unlike the detective, he will stay here to fulfill my prophecy of succession."

Tim grimaced the thought, his face scrunching in disgust. He tried to escape, but Ra's refused his request, tightening his grip on Tim's shoulder. Tim gazed at Ra's, whose expression appeared indifferent, but Tim knew better. Ra's' smirk told Tim he was scheming and his eyes demanded control.

"Let us go." Ra's ordered.

The plane was revved up and ready to go. At the helm was Ubu. Ra's shoved Tim inside, yanking the chain every time Tim tried to worm around him.

The door closed ponce both were aboard the plane and Ubu got it running. Ra's threw Tim down before pulling out some rope. Tim attempted to get up only for Ra's foot to stomp on his back, knocking him back down.

"I hate having to restrain you Timothy." Ra's stiffly admitted. "However, I can't trust you."

Ra's bound Tim's arms tightly behind his back. He didn't bother binding Tim's legs, needing the access to move him around. Dragging him up, Ra's shoved Tim onto a couch before taking a seat beside him.

With the plane now airborne, Ra's took advantage of Tim's presence. Ra's wrapped a hand around the side of Tim's face and forced Tim to look at him. Everything on the surface seemed perfectly fine. No scars, no flaws, not a wrinkle of stress. However, deep down Ra's knew that behind his stoic demeanor, Tim had to be terrified

"Get away from me." Tim growled.

"Why would I do that?" Ra's inquired. "You're mine."

"I am _not_ yours."

"The mark on your back says otherwise."

Tim was at a loss at that response. He didn't want to think about the curse etched on this back. His arms awkwardly rubbed his back.

"Yes, I remember that." Ra's stated. "And I know it's still there. That makes you mine. My property. As such, I can do what I want to you."

Tim's stature faltered. Several speculations swarmed his mind as to what Ra's could do. Tim tried to back away from Ra's.

"I'm not going to hurt you too much." Ra's threatened. "I just want to see what I can do to you before this plane lands."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Ra's land at their intended location.

Tim and Ra's exited the plane to the lush greenery of their intended location. It was clear that Ra's didn't want a desert for their scenery like last time, though Tim felt like there was more to it. They were greeted by a group of assassins as Ra's tugged Tim along. Tim's shirt was torn and his face was beat up. A bruise graced his cheek and several cuts occupied the rest of his face. His whole body stung, but that was nothing compared to the choking sensation he got as Ra's pulled him along. It was constant and forceful, making sure Tim didn't stray far from Ra's' intended path.

Ra's greeted his men with confidence. He explained his arrival and expressed his need for order. When their eyes fell on Tim, Ra's expressed his demands to keep Tim protected. He stressed that no one was to approach Tim unless directed or permitted to by Ra's himself. As far as Tim was concerned, the added security was Ra's' way of keeping Tim isolated. He knew Ra's wanted to do that with the intention of creating a dependence on Ra's. If that could be achieved, Tim knew there would be trouble. He didn't want that to happen. He wouldn't let it, so long as he had a saying in it.

~

Tim was dragged to a bedroom. The chamber was lush and well furnished. The furniture was made of the best material and the room was too clean to be a prison cell of sorts. Tim could only infer that this was Ra's' room and that caused his heart to drop.

"You will stay here." Ra's stated. "I wish to make sure that you're safe and supervised. Where you choose to sleep is up to you." Ra's looked at the bed. "Obviously, the bed is the most comfortable option. It would provide a good night's sleep and a warm presence." His attention shifted towards the window, which housed a bed like structure next to and on the windowsill and had a latch on the wall beside it. "However, if you wish to have a bed to call your own there's this. The window is made of a polycarbonate material, so any attempt to break it and escape will be troublesome. It is also bulletproof for a precaution. You will be chained up at night, but will have the room to move. So what's it going to be?"

Tim bounced between both options. On the one hand, if Tim chose the bed, he was given the opportunity to have some freedom and something more comfortable, but it was at the expense of knowing that it was Ra's' bed. If he chose the accommodations by the window, he would be restrained and given a constant reminder that he wasn't free. However, that also came with the opportunity to save his dignity.

Tim walked towards the window. He looked at Ra's with irritation. Tim's choice was a tough one, but he knew he had to make it. He would rather take restrictions than literally sleeping in his enemy's bed.

"Why don't you get cleaned up?" Ra's offered, tilting his head towards a bathroom. "You've got a fresh set of clothes and a towel. I expect you to shower."

Tim continued to stare at Ra's. He head the request well enough, but he couldn't help but wonder about Ra's' intentions. Tim had his suspicions, wondering if Ra's was going to leave him be or follow him.

"Don't worry, I won't watch you." Ra's confirmed. "I want to give you some privacy, but know that I will get involved if need be."

Ra's approached Tim grabbing the collar. With a few adjustments, he removed it from Tim's neck. Tying the free end to the wall, Ra's then led Tim to the bathroom. He let Tim enter it on his own, closing the door once Tim was inside.

Tim inspected the bathroom. He saw the new outfit on the counter. It was the same as the one he was wearing, just in better condition. There was a towel like Ra's stated. All Tim had to do now was follow Ra's' request. As much as he'd like to make an escape, with a window that he could crawl out of, Tim knew he shouldn't risk it. He had a feeling Ra's was going to survey him a lot more.

The water exited from the pipes, warming up to the temperature Tim requested before he stepped in. He stood in the shower, contemplating his situation more as he cleaned up. Tim didn't want to give up hope. He knew he had to try escaping, knowing that Bruce was going to have a difficult time finding him. He knew his uniform did have a tracker as a precaution after his last capture.

Overall, Tim was just worried about Bruce and the others. He was worried about himself that much was certain, but he could only imagine what everyone else was going through. Conner was damaged, Alfred was probably feeling guilty, and Bruce was more than likely devastated.

The whole thing made Tim feel terrible. A lump in his throat made itself known, but Tim forced himself to swallow it. He couldn't let himself get emotional in this place. His still lingering trauma and the newly arising fear couldn't be allowed to surface. Ra's couldn't see his weakness. He would just exploit it.

Tim turned the water off and exited the shower. A minute or two in the towel was enough to dry him off and Tim got dressed. He exited the bathroom and into the cold embrace of the collar. Tim looked at Ra's with indifference.

"You look refreshed." Ra's observed, twirling his end if the chain. "We're needed for a meeting with one of my senior assassins and then to observe a training session some of the new assassins."

Tim growled at Ra's. He wasn't really interested in Ra's' itinerary. Not that he had a choice, which Tim was plenty aware of. A hand gripped Tim's chin and forced Tim to look at Ra's.

"No need to be so rebellious." Ra's lectured.

"Get used to it." Tim argued. "I'm not going to give up so easy."

"We'll see about that."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim gets a taste of his returned life under Ra's' reign.

The assassins reported to Ra's with pristine timing. They filed him with their findings, giving no mind to Tim. They spun stories of intrigue and illusion. How they avoided the Dark Knight and the chaos in Gotham. Both of Bruce's personal lives were disrupted. His fatherly billionaire persona was scared for his child's life and his nighttime routine that was Batman was enraged, beating criminals with an extra amount of force. They seemed intrigued by the development, not sure how to feel about the change, and Ra's was pleased with this development.

It hurt Tim to hear this, but he refused to show it. He didn't like that Bruce was suffering because of this. Unfortunately, he didn't get the change to dwell on it long as Ra's pulled Tim closer, holding Tim in front of him. A hand rested on the top of Tim's head, causing the teen to shiver.

"This is a step in the right direction." Ra's reiterated, petting Tim's head. "With the detective in a state of chaos, taking care of my own plans will be easier. He may get closer, but he is in no way in a proper state of mind. Raising my successor will be easier to do with that in mind."

The slightest attempt to move away from Ra's was intercepted as a hand dug into Tim's hair. Tim hissed, hating the attentive nature of the nonchalant gesture. The tension on his head was relieved after a few moments as Ra's gave him his attention.

"Yes, I haven't forgotten about you Timothy." Ra's acknowledged. "You are not being neglected. You need to hear this."

Both assassins seemed stunned by the abuse that Ra's was willing to apply, no matter how small it was. And as small as it was, they could only wonder what he could do when he was really upset with Tim. They exchanged glances before one could muster up the courage to ask a question.

"Do you think this is reasonable treatment for him?" One of the assassins inquired.

Tim was a little surprised by the assassin's question. It was uncommon for them to question Ra's, at least in his experience. Ra's on the other hand, was annoyed with the outburst. He did not his plans called into question.

"Are you really questioning my rule?" Ra's responded.

The assassin flinched, biting his tongue. Ra's' tone was not a favorable one, which caused him to regret his outburst. It was in that moment that he knew he was out of line towards his master, which only dampened Tim's hope for this assassin's courage.

"No my lord." The assassin quickly refuted. "I was merely curious about the display. I apologize. He is your successor and you are completely capable of making your own choices. I see now that my question was out of line."

"I thought so."

Readjusting his grip on the chain, Ra's gave it a good yank. He dismissed the assassins, ready to move on. He didn't care to watch them go, leaving the room with Tim reluctantly following along.

~

Ra's was intently watching the new recruits train from his mantel. Tim stood, refusing to take a seat beside Ra's. His attention mostly focused on the training session, but it did bounce briefly to Ra's as well. He didn't want to let his guard down too much around Ra's.

An assassin bolted towards the duo, eyeing Tim maliciously. Grabbing Tim's throat tightly, he lifted Tim off of his feet. He couldn't speak or cry out with the pressure on his neck.

"You are a worthless piece of garbage." The assassin insulted. "You don't deserve to be in the presence of our master."

All Tim could do was grunt in distress and squint his eyes, not sure what he should do. He wasn't sure if he should fight back or if that would just infuriate Ra's. Tim didn't have to think about it long, before he heard a pained cry.

Opening his eyes, Tim noticed a blade piercing through the assassin's chest. As the blade was pulled out of the assassin's chest, Tim was released, finally allowed to regain proper breathing patterns. Ra's stepped over the carcass to inspect Tim. Tim wanted to fight it, but he didn't have the will to in that moment. He gave Tim a softer look as he studied the damage. Thankfully, there didn't seem to be much. The indents would go away with time and any bruising could be healed with the Lazarus Pit.

Ra's turned the rest of the remaining recruits. His demeanor shifted instantaneously, turning cold and threatening. The recruits were speechless, blankly staring at Ra's.

"Would any of you like to give that a try?" Ra's coldly asked.

The recruits shook their head negatively. They may not have been around long, but the notion of upsetting Ra's was a death sentence cemented into their minds. The death of the rouge recruit was all the physical stimuli they needed to convince them not to do something like that.

"Good."

~

The chain was securely tightened on the wall, ending Tim's day. Tim was sitting on the windowsill bed as Ra's did it. His sight was stuck on the world outside as he refused to acknowledge Ra's. And as Ra's left his side, Tim continued to keep his sight there.

Tim heard movement. He heard Ra's enter the bathroom and presumably take a shower. The solitude was appreciated, but the image of a dark night beyond an invisible screen haunted him. It was a taunt reminding him of his predicament.

Shuffling signified that Ra's was in bed. Tim still refused to visually acknowledge Ra's. Disrespectful or not, Tim didn't want to address Ra's. Not at this time.

That didn't stop Ra's from observing Tim. He was a little curious about Tim's stature. The apparent restlessness was a small concern.

"You are allowed to sleep." Ra's reminded. "I'd hate for you to get sick."

"I'm not tired." Tim answered.

Ra's approached Tim. A hand clamped around Tim's neck and moved Tim's head up, forcing him to look at Ra's. Ra's wasn't upset or disappointed, but eerily calm.

"Would you like me to tuck you in?" Ra's contemplated.

Tim trued to roll his eyes at the thought. It was both embarrassing and unlikely that he'd accept Ra's' offer.

"No." Tim scoffed.

"I don't want to have to drug you so that you'll sleep."

Tim stiffly grunted. Ra's let him go, giving Tim a choice. After a brief stare off, Tim gave up, laying down. He turned his back to Ra's as he covered himself. Ra's stood over him for a moment, smirking.

"Get a good night's Timothy." Ra's requested. "Tomorrow is a new day, and I hope we can peel back some of your psyche."


	17. Chapter 17

Tim hated being caught in the predicament that he currently found himself in. He had only been up for an hour and Ra's was already making a move. The duo had breakfast, but rather than going on with Ra's' usual routine, Ra's thought toying with Tim would be a more enjoyable decision. Ra's didn't beat him, but he did make it uncomfortable for Tim. Backing him into a corner was just the beginning and Tim curling into it was even better in his eyes.

"What will scare poor Timothy?" Ra's questioned, mostly to himself than to Tim.

Ra's knew the close proximity had to help with Tim's discomfort. A hand traced along the side of Tim's face sending surges of uncomfortable pings through Tim's body. Tim glared at the hand with disgust and rage. Eyes widened in dismay.

"Don't touch me." Tim hissed, knocking the hand away.

Ra's gave him an amused smirk. It pinched a nerve, and Ra's loved it. Fingers curved at the bottom of Tim's chin, forcing Tim to keep his attention on Ra's. Blue eyes burned into Ra's with rage and disgust.

"What's wrong?" Ra's inquired. "I thought you liked affection."

"Not from you." Tim argued as he attempted to shove Ra's away. "Let me go."

"I can't do that."

One arm wrapped around Tim, forcing Tim to get closer to him as the hand beneath Tim's chin moved behind Tim's head. Alarmed, Tim tried to squirm his way out of Ra's' grip. It proved futile when pressure was added slightly, firmly wedging Tim between Ra's and his limbs.

"You were traumatized..."

"Because of you." Tim bluntly reminded.

Ra's didn't seem fazed by the argument. As true as that was, he didn't have an ounce of will to care. Ra's knew it was going to take time to get what he wanted, but he was willing to do whatever he could to get it.

"I'll be sure to work around that." Ra's promised. "Exploit your trauma or creating something new. I haven't decided yet."

"You'll do nothing so long as I have anything to say about it." Tim argued, attempting to get away once more.

~

Tim was given free reign of the training room. And by free reign that meant Ra's wasn't going to hold the chain with the knowledge that there were guards outside to prevent Tim from a proper escape. Tim mostly paced around the room while Ra's sat meditating.

Tim didn't want to do any sort of training, uncomfortable with Ra's in the room. Especially since Ra's wasn't being as proactive with it like he had previously. More than anything, Tim was a little surprised with how similar it was to the one in the desert. It was spacious and well-lit with pale walls.

Tim traced a hand along the walls, taking in the textures of it in an attempt to find an exit. Behind the pale grey walls was brick, leaving no chance of breaking through it. No cracks or defects could be felt beneath Tim's fingers.

A shadow covered Tim causing dread to set in. Ra's was behind him, using the wall as support for one of his arms. He wanted to run, but he knew Ra's wouldn't allow it.

"I hear that you're parents' funeral was nice." Ra's observed. "It was a sunny day and a lot of people came to it. Bruce Wayne even erected a library in their honor."

The mere mention of his parents bothered Tim. His body contorted so that he could turn around and face Ra's. Eyes filled with loathing glared at Ra's.

"Don't you dare talk about my parents." Tim growled. "It's because of you that their dead."

"If I recall correctly it was Boomerang who killed your father." Ra's reminisced.

A glare burned into Ra's. The technicality wasn't appreciated. Tim may have been enraged with Captain Boomerang, but he still blamed Ra's for getting the ball rolling.

"But it was because of you that my mother committed suicide."

"But if you had complied, I may have spared her of the pain."

Tim aggressively squirmed out of Ra's' trap. He was fuming with rage and resentment. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ra's was blaming him for the death of his mother. Tim refused to believe Ra's' accusation.

"Don't you dare place this on me." Tim coldly demanded. "You wouldn't have spared them, only driven them further into darkness."

A fist flew at Ra's, but was stopped by a hand grabbing Tim's wrist. Tim instantly regretted his action as he realized that his wrist was trapped. Ra's twisted it before throwing Tim against a wall. Tim clenched the wall, only for Ra's to twist his hand behind him, pinning it awkwardly on his back.

Tim hissed in pain. That was all he could do since Ra's was limiting his movement. He felt Ra's lean closer. Ra's' breathe sent tingles down Tim's spine.

"I could have stopped it." Ra's coldly admitted. "Protected your family. But you refused my kindness. Refused my inheritance. If you had just submitted me, none of this would have come to pass."

Tim was thrown onto the ground with ease. Tim didn't bother getting up, outside of sitting up. He didn't know how Ra's would respond if he made the wrong move.

"I plan to teach you how to appreciate everything I do for you." Ra's stated.

~

Tim sat in his corner, chained. He was frightened and cold. Ra's was preoccupied in the bathroom, forcing him to contemplate what happened. Ra's' words had gotten to him. Tim agonized the blame that Ra's was trying to place on him.

Tim's brief moment of weakness got to him. He couldn't believe he let Ra's' abuse of his parents' namesake to get the better of him. It disappointed Tim that he slipped up with his plan to keep a lid on his lingering trauma. When he caught the sound of a door opening, Tim lied down on his side and threw the blankets over him. He kept his back to the room.

He felt a hand fall on his arm. It was as though Ra's was telling him good night, before leaving his side. Whether or not Ra's knew he was awake was debatable, but Tim had a feeling that Ra's was up to something, and Tim was going to try and fight back as best as he could.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ra's gets upset with something he's learned and allows Tim to go outside for a little.

Tim was dragged out of bed harshly. Ra's wasn't happy, and his strong grip on Tim's arm proved that. Tim didn't know if it was something he did or not. Not that Tim sleeping should warrant such an aggravated response. All he knew was that Ra's was angry, and didn't want to vent in his room. And unfortunately, Tim had to be pulled along for the ride.

Ra's got to his private study. He threw Tim inside before slamming the door behind him. Tim was sprawled out on the ground and he slowly started to get himself up. Ra's was still aggravated, and Tim still didn't know who, or what, it was directed at.

"What did I do this time?" Tim crudely asked, sitting up.

Ra's didn't respond. He seemed deep in thought. That didn't stop Ra's from harboring a disdained expression. It was annoying and stressful that Ra's was ignoring Tim. It was bad enough when he had Ra's' attention, but Ra's' neglect wasn't all that much better.

"Ra's." Tim called, standing up. "What is going on?"

Without warning, Tim found himself pinned against a wall by his throat. Ra's' grip was tight, chocking Tim. Gasps were all that could escape Tim as his eyes widened in shock. He clawed and kicked at the man, trying to get Ra's off of him so that he could breath. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like Ra's was getting the message. If Ra's didn't let go, Tim was certain he would die.

It was a miracle that Ra's seemed to regain his composure and released Tim, who fell to his knees as a hand hovered over his throat. Tim breathed deeply, coughing almost every other breathe until it evened out. Ra's crouched down in front of Tim, resting a hand on Tim's back. Tim flinched, not wanting the comfort as he tried to worm away.

"I'm sorry Timothy." Ra's apologized, gently circling his hand around Tim's back. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Tim was silent. Partially because he didn't want to answer, and partially because of the stress that was put on his trachea. He stared at Ra's for a moment, letting Ra's know that he heard him, before looking back down.

"It would appear the detective is getting curious and no one bothered to tell me how close he was getting."

"Good." Tim weakly sighed. "That means I can get out of here."

Ra's hand gripped the back of Tim's shirt ever so slightly. He clearly didn't like Tim's subtle enthusiasm. He clearly didn't want to hurt Tim after choking him, but Ra's wasn't going to take Tim's spark of hope. That needed to be shot down fast.

"Don't take my mild regret as a sign of defeat." Ra's stated. "That just means we'll probably have to relocate."

Tim shock his head negatively. The last thing he wanted was to move. To be whisked away even further from his family and friends.

"I don't want to go." Tim argued.

"You don't have a say in the matter." Ra's declined.

Mentally, Ra's contemplated the situation. From what he was told, Batman was beginning to suspect that Ra's had taken Tim out of Gotham, and potentially out of the country. Whether or not he knew where they were, Ra's couldn't confirm, which really bothered him.

He didn't want to move Tim if he didn't have to. The last thing he wanted was to move him and cause a scene. Moving Tim would only be required when Ra's had conformation. Everything had to be calculated and Ra's knew he had to be prepared for anything. But for now, staying was their best bet until they could get some certainty.

"For now though, I think we'll stay here." Ra's decided, allowing his hand to rest his hand on Tim's back. "You're still getting comfortable with my hospitality."

Ra's stood up, grabbing Tim's arm and pulling the teen to his feet. Tim's breathing was finally steady, but he was still quiet. That allowed Ra's to inspect the area he grabbed without debate. Thankfully, there wasn't much of an indent on Tim's neck, but Ra's knew there was no denying that a bruise was going to form in the wake of the damage.

Time would be its medicine and Ra's knew he would have to be careful with it until then. Ra's could admit that he was harboring some guilt for doing it. Punishment should only be dealt when he saw fit, not when Tim did nothing wrong.

"Why don't we go for a little walk?" Ra's suggested. "The garden is quite lovely this time of day."

That was probably the best Tim was going to get out of Ra's. It was clear that Ra's was trying to think of something to lighten the mood. He couldn't tell if there was a hidden agenda to Ra's' suggestion, but Tim enjoyed the thought of getting outside and seeing something outside of these walls.

"Sure." Tim sighed.

~

Tim was in awe of the garden. The shades of greens, blues, purples, and yellows were gentle on the eye. The different plants and herbs were not only a visual pleasure, but a learning experience too. Ra's let Tim have a little free reign. He let Tim trot along without the chain being held, but Ra's was not too far behind, ready to act if needed.

The peace Tim found himself in diminished as his mind went to other things. The image of Bruce looking for him and getting closer was a hopeful one, but Tim still feared what Ra's could do to him. He was easing Tim in, which Tim had some suspicious about, but he didn't know what the future would hold while he was with Ra's.

Adrenaline coursed through Tim's body. He noted the wall in the distance, and Tim's mind started to formulate a plan. If he could evade Ra's long enough and get over the wall, he might be able to climb over it, escape, and contact Bruce.

He decided to go for it, spontaneously picking up his pace. Tim didn't look back as he got several feet out. He could feel a rush of excitement as he got closer to the wall. Unfortunately, his stride wouldn't last.

Tim's footing stumbled, causing him to fall. He felt something grab the back of his shirt and pull him backwards. Tim bounced against Ra's before arms wrapped around him. Tim started kicking, hoping it would help loosen Ra's' hold on him. It didn't, only prompting Ra's to tighten his grip.

"Now, now Timothy, don't abuse my kindness." Ra's calmly requested. "I'd hate to suspend any and all outdoor ventures because you tried to escape."

Tim deflated in defeat. He wasn't going to get anywhere anytime soon that much was clear. His legs went limp, letting Ra's know he was done. Ra's was alright with that response. It let him know he could move forward.

"Let's go back inside." Ra's suggested. "I think we've had enough fun out of here."

Ra's released Tim, allowing him to stand on his feet. His hand slide down the chain, grabbing the tip of it. He gave it a light nudge making sure to be careful with his neck. Tim sighed, following Ra's.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim finds out about the reasoning behind Conner's damage and is in for a troubling response when he acts out.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised you've decided to call me." Lex curiously admitted.

"I just thought I'd get a tab on your recent endeavor." Ra's replied. "I want to know what's going on."

Ra's woke up, apparently needed to make a video call for some reason. It wasn't what Tim was expected when he got pulled out of bed so early in the morning. Even less so when he realize that Ra's' call was to Lex Luthor of all people. Why Ra's was talking to him, with such a familiar tone, was curious.

Tim had initially gone unnoticed as he sat against the back side of Ra's' chair. The chain wrapped around the arm of the seat slightly as Ra's held it. However, that was one detail Tim doubted Lex was picking up on. Tim was listening to the conversation, but he wasn't planning on exposing himself, even if Lex did know.

"If you're asking about my recent airborne strike in Jump City, I can confirm that it was pretty successful." Lex stated. "It has sense cleared, but it was a success."

"And you're half bred clone?" Ra's inquired.

"Poisoned and forced to stay homebound."

Tim's attention bounced as his mind realized what and who they were talking about. Not only did it prove that Ra's was involved with the attack, but it proved that he was aiming to disable Conner. And the fact that Lex was involved was even more haunting.

"I have to admit, I am still puzzled by your request." Lex stated. "I mean, it not only damaged my failure, but it also caused Batman to demand him to stay in the city."

"I knew it." Tim interrupted, stepping out from behind Ra's. "I knew you had a role in Conner's harm. I just knew it." Tim's hands clenched the sides of his head before angrily throwing his arms down. "How dare you!"

Ra's didn't even seem to give Tim his full attention. His expression was unchanged and kept on Lex Luthor. Tim did the same to find that Lex was stunned. He studied the boy intently, making Tim feel uncomfortable.

"This explains so much." Lex realized before turning his attention back to Ra's. "You know he's going to kill you when he finds you."

"He won't." Ra's stated. "It's against his morals."

"He already lost this child once, I highly doubt he'd let you off the hook."

Ra's briefly gazed at Tim. A hand gently tapped the side of his face, playing with a strand of Tim's hair. Tim flinched, both embarrassed and uncomfortable with the contact.

"I already captured him once." Ra's proudly admitted. "Even if he found me and Timothy, he'll have a lot to go through if he thinks he'll take him back." Ra's sighed. "I just wanted to make sure that his little friend was dealt with."

"Rest assure, Conner won't be going anywhere anytime soon." Lex smugly confirmed. "Good luck with your scheme."

The screen went black, ending the two masterminds chat. Tim glared at Ra's, who continued to ignore him visually. Tim was about to speak when a hand struck the side of his face. It stung and Tim stifled his pained hisses as he took a few steps back. He was then grabbed by his arms and forced against the wall.

Ra's had lifted Tim off the ground, causing his feet to dangle above the ground. Tim was in a slight daze as Ra's threateningly glared at him. The sudden shift in emotion wasn't too surprising, but Tim was bothered by it.

"You will not disrespect me like that again." Ra's lectured.

"Don't tell me what to do." Tim demanded. "You had my friend poisoned."

Fingers dug into Tim's arms, causing Tim to hiss in pain. His left leg subconsciously bent in an attempt to lessen the pain. Not that it really helped.

"And you ran away from me." Ra's argued.

"You don't own me." Tim denied.

Ra's threw Tim to the ground. Tim slowly sat himself up. He was joined by Ra's, who knelt in front of him and grabbed the bottom of Tim's face.

"I intend to." Ra's stated. "I know you harbor some trauma from our last endeavor. I just have to peel through the faulty layers that you've shielded yourself with."

Tim tried to pull away from Ra's, disheartened by the threat. Now that his arms were free, Tim threw his fist at Ra's, smacking the side of the man's face. While Ra's was stunned, Tim snaked away from Ra's. He ran out of the room, looking for the closest exit. He had to get out. Now was his opportunity.

He passed several assassins, who were hesitant to stop him. After news of the death of a recruit for attempting to kill Tim, none of them knew how Ra's would react if they touched him. And to be frank, some were too scared to try.

Without noticing, Tim bumped into something. Or in this case someone. Tim looked up to see Ubu, who promptly shoved Tim back.

"Children shouldn't stray far from their caretakers." Ubu snidely observed.

~

Ubu brought Tim back to Ra's. He made sure not to harm the teen, knowing even he would be punished if he did. If Tim was going to get any kind of punishment, it was going to come from Ra's.

Ubu handed Tim over to Ra's, who wasn't in a pleasant mood. Tim didn't need to look at the man to feel his glare burn into him. Whatever was to come, Tim knew it wouldn't be pretty.

~

Nervous fidgeting coursed through Tim as he yanked at the chain. A bruise lied on his cheek bone and his lip was split slightly. With Ra's otherwise preoccupied with the shower, he wanted to try and get out. And since the window refused to break, getting his restraint dealt with was his only option.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem like it wanted to budge. And Tim knew didn't have the time to work with the collar, with the shower coming to a stop. Tim immediately dropped the chain and sat on the bed. He watched the door open as Ra's entered the room.

"Still awake, are we?" Ra's noticed, approaching Tim. "You need to sleep."

"I don't want to." Tim sighed.

"But you must. I'd hate for you to get sick."

"Like you care."

Ra's was physically unfazed by the statement. While it annoyed him, he wasn't in the mood to harm him. Ra's already punished Tim and that was enough.

"Will I have to drug you so that you'll sleep?" Ra's threatened.

Tim flinched in distress. With Conner's poisoning resurfacing, there was no way that Tim wanted that to happen. He violently shook his head negatively.

"Good."

Tim slumped down on the bed facing the window.

Tim stared out of the window. The moon gleamed, lighting up the sky along with the stars. A lump began to swell in Tim's throat. He had progressively started to understand why Ra's had offered this spot, but this night was the worst. The view of freedom was a beautiful and haunting sight. And he hated that he couldn't be out there. That he couldn't be free.

Enraged and scared tears forced their way out of Tim's eyes as he put a hand over his mouth. He couldn't stop them from falling, but he could muffle any cries if they tried to come out. Curling up, Tim silently vented, tormented by what he couldn't have.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ra's tries a few ways to deteriorate Tim's will.

The morning was no better than the night before. The anxiety was forced back under wraps, but Tim still felt drained. Not only that, but Ra's was trying new methods of interrogation. He showed Tim multiple shots of his friends and family in pain. It seemed that Ra's was trying to simulate his previous tactic with Tim's parents, just without the threat of death. However this time around, it wasn't just his parents and Bruce, who Ra's was focusing on.

Bruce's aggressive emotions were still prominent and caused him to withdraw himself from society in order to protect them and to dwell. Conner recovered, but the denial to go after Tim and the surveillance by Superman hindered his hope of helping. Dick seemed to regress from his once successful recovery. Even Jason was distraught. It seemed that he was shook up from it all, especially with him out of the loop until a little bit before Tim's recapture.

It did hurt Tim to see everyone responding the way that they were. However, he refused to let it get to him. Refused to let it physically show. Ra's was impressed with the composure that Tim held himself up with. He knew there were other options that he could utilize against Tim. If this didn't work, which was likely, Ra's could easily move onto the next.

~

The training room was a new environment for Tim. It had been a while since he had last seen one, not including the one with Ra's' new recruits. Ra's had tried several other tactics, which included isolation in a locked closet. The closet was probably the closest to detouring Tim, but he was able to compose himself for long enough to get out without much issue.

Ra's took his cape off hang it up, at the same time exposing a light, informal outfit. He then approached Tim and removed the chain and collar. What Ra's could be planning was a bit of a mystery.

"We're going to have a sparring session." Ra's stated.

This decision confused Tim. How a sparring session was supposed to diminish his psyche, Tim didn't know. He didn't know what Ra's was planning.

"If you can subdue me, I'll give you a little more wiggle room." Ra's promised. "I might even consider letting you out of that restraint."

"And if I lose?" Tim inquired, knowing there had to be more to it.

"I'll get to test a little something on you."

Tim could accept the trade off, even if he wasn't sure what Ra's wanted to do. He'd rather risk fighting and possibly losing than refusing and risk finding out without a fighting chance. They both got into a fighting stance. Ra's was the one to make the first move, lunging at Tim.

Tim avoided Ra's, slipping around him hastily. Tim kept a defensive stance as Ra's began striking him, throwing in a few jabs when he could. Tim waited for any chance to knock Ra's over.

When an opening did present itself, Tim slammed into Ra's. He was able to knock Ra's over and tackle him to the ground. Tim hoped that this was enough to get the point across, but something felt suspicious. Something about it felt too easy. It was confirmed when Ra's snidely smirked.

Ra's wrapped his legs around Tim and flipped him over so that Tim was now on the ground and Ra's was hovering over him. It caught Tim off guard so swiftly that he wasn't sure what to do next. A fist drove into Tim's face before the other hand wrapped around Tim's neck.

"Give up?" Ra's inquired.

"No." Tim argued.

Tim began to move his legs in an attempt to knock Ra's off of him. However, the tightening grip on his neck slowed it down until Tim stop. A gasp was all Ra's needed for him to loosen up his grip. Ra's was still on top of Tim, making sure he wouldn't move.

"What are you going to do?" Tim grimaced.

"I'm glad you ask." Ra's asked, pulling out a syringe from his sleeve. "This will help clear your mind up a bit. It's a diluted blend of Crane's fear toxin, so it won't last long."

Blue eyes widened. In that moment, Tim knew what Ra's was going to do. A hand went to grab the syringe, but was grabbed by Ra's' free hand and promptly snapped Tim's wrist. Tim yelled out in pain. Tim's undamaged hand went to grab the injured wrist, only for it to be pinned down by the same free hand as Ra's removed that cap with his teeth.

"Stop!" Tim pleaded. "Don't do it."

"Too late." Ra's denied, stabbing Tim in the arm with the needle.

Tim gasped in pain. The contents of the syringe entered into Tim's arm until it was empty. Ra's got off of Tim, allowing Tim to roll over and move. Tim crawled on the floor in agony, feeling the effects of the toxin instantly.

Tim tried to surpress the effects of it, attempting to restrain every muscle in his body. That didn't help. Voices started to echo through his ears. They blended together to create a familiar vibration. Looking up, he hallucinated the rotten carcasses of his parents.

"How could you do this to us?" His mother moaned.

"You've disappointed us Tim." His father groaned.

It shook him to the core to hear that. Tim knew it wasn't real, an illusion caused by fear, but that didn't disregard his feelings of guilt, horror, and pain. He tried to back away, only to bump into Ra's, who was sitting on the ground.

"What do you see?" Ra's inquired.

Tim looked at Ra's and shrieked. He backed away, not removing his gaze from Ra's. He couldn't. Instead of Ra's, Tim saw himself in Ra's' place. He saw himself older clad in Ra's' outfit and was petrified by the implication.

Ra's slowly began to approach Tim, causing him to jump. Tim stood up and started to back away from him. He didn't want Ra's anywhere near him at this time.

"Get away from me." Tim horrifically demanded.

Tim hit a wall, pausing his escape. And before he got the chance to move, a hand clamped onto Tim's shoulder. His nails anxiously scratched the wall as he looked at Ra's.

"What's wrong?" Ra's asked, his tone laced with false sympathy. "Not liking what you see?"

Tim flinched staring at the hallucination in front of him. Seeing himself like this, manipulative and overpowering, left a morbid realization. He loathed the thought that this could be his future. A lump formed in his throat and refused to go unnoticed. It forced tears out, disregarding his pride.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fear Toxin wears off, but that won't be the only thing to taint Tim internally.

Tim's breathe hiccupped as he laid on Ra's' bed. The effects of the Fear Toxin were starting to wear off and Tim was curled up in an attempt to help alleviate it. If he did realize where he was, Tim didn't care. However, his mind couldn't process it. It didn't want to.

Tim's injured wrist was wrapped. With no intentions to get Tim to a Lazarus Pit at this time, Ra's gave him that comfort. At least it would heal in a normal way.

Admittedly, the effects of the Fear Toxin were lasting a little bit longer than Ra's had expected, but he knew he had to let it run its course. He knew that once it settled, Tim would be too exhaustion to do anything. If anything, it gave him something to make note of later. He could even use it again if he wanted to. Ra's just had to wait. So he calmly sat on the other side of the bed and read a book.

When Tim finally did settle, his frame stopped shaking and his breathing evened out. He rolled over, processing where he was. Once he realized that he was in Ra's' bed, he weakly tried to get off of it. His movement didn't go unnoticed.

"No need to leave." Ra's stated, placing a hand Tim's shoulders.

"I'm not staying here." Tim weakly argued, trying to roll away. "You poisoned me."

"You're in no condition to move. Relax."

Tim's body gave one last attempt at escaping. He wanted to get some distance. Wanted to get back to his corner. Ra's, however, had other plans wanting to keep Tim where he was at in his rather exhausted state.

Tim stopped, not having the strength to fight, or to argue his predicament. He curled back up and drifted off, passing out with ease. Since he was sleeping on top of the blanket, Ra's covered Tim with a blanket that was hanging at the end of it. Ra's knew that Tim wasn't going to run off any time soon. Though as a precaution, he did tie the chain to the bedframe. At least he would hear it if Tim tried to get away, if he wasn't up already.

~

Tim slowly opened his eyes. Stretching out, he realized that he was still on Ra's' bed. He shook quickly, before realizing that he was the only one on the bed. As he sat up, he studied the room as he rubbed his eyes. When he saw Ra's standing beside the bed, Tim jumped. Ra's looked at him with pleasant observation.

"Rise and shine." Ra's greeted. "You look well rested."

"No thanks to your little poisoning experiment." Tim groaned.

"It probably has to do with that, but you still need your sleep. Though I do apologize that it did drain the fight out of you. Today's test hopefully won't be as draining."

Tim looked at Ra's with curiosity and regret. Pulling another syringe out of his sleeve, Ra's revealed another surprise. It sent Tim reeling. He got out of the bed, only for Ra's' makeshift restraint to stop him. Ra's approached him, knocking Tim over with his free hand firmly holding it on him.

"Don't worry, this isn't Fear Toxin." Ra's affirmed. "It'll just clear your head up and may things come out a little more honest."

As Ra's removed the cap, his free hand grabbed Tim's face. Ra's leaned it to the side exposing one side of Tim's neck. Ra's inserted the needle into his neck and injected the fluid. Tim's eyes dilated as it ran through his bloodstream.

They sat in silence for a few moments as Ra's joined him on the ground. He sat in front of Tim

"Is your full legal name Timothy Jackson Drake Wayne?" Ra's asked.

Tim was a little confused with the question. He knew Ra's knew his name, so there was no reason for him to ask that. However, he thought he should play along to see what would happen.

"Yes." Tim confirmed.

"Were you the third Robin?"

"Yes."

"Are you currently Red Robin?"

"Yes."

This line of questioning didn't make any more sense than the first. What any of this had to do with what Ra's injected him with was a mystery. These were simple questions, questions that Ra's already knew the answers to.

"Were you supposed to be out the night that I found you?" Ra's asked.

"No. I wasn't." Tim admitted. "I snuck out."

That question was a little more suspicious, and Tim's answer was to the point. Ra's may not have known the answer to it, but Tim wondered why he asked. It wasn't like it mattered to him, outside of the fact that it gave Ra's an opportunity.

"Were you scared after escaping my hospitality?" Ra's asked.

Tim rolled his eyes at the question. He wondered if Ra's really expected him to answer that. It was true that he was, but Tim wasn't going to admit it.

"Terrified." Tim admitted.

A hand immediately held itself above Tim's mouth. That was not what he wanted to say. He wanted to lie. To hide his fear for the situation.

"Did it damage you? Give you a turbulent souvenir?"

"It did. Panic attacks and nightmares."

Tim didn't know why he was giving these kinds of answers. It had to relate to the syringe somehow. It did something to him to make him answer like this.

"Do you enjoy my company?" Ra's asked.

There was no way that Tim was going to play with that question. He was done playing his little game. Tim was already giving answers that he didn't want to and he did not want to give Ra's any more leverage.

"Yes." Tim unintentionally answered. "I hate what you do, but I'm intrigued by you. By your existence."

Tim gasped in agony. He had no idea why he said that. It hurt that he was saying things that he didn't want to say. What was worse was the fact that he couldn't stop himself. Tim glared at Ra's.

"What did you do to me?" Tim growled.

Ra's hands clamped on both sides of Tim's face.

"I've given you truth serum." Ra's admitted.

Tim's body shivered. The implication was morbid, especially with the answers he gave Ra's. They were answers that not even he wanted to admit. Answers he didn't want to think about.

"How dare you." Tim hissed.

Ra's was entertained by Tim's reaction. Tim was clearly distressed by Ra's' decision, but he didn't care. He was getting results.

"What will it take for me to get you to break?" Ra's interrogated. "Besides

Tim bit his lower lip in distress. He didn't want to answer Ra's. A hand firmly tightened around a wad of Tim's hair causing Tim to hiss in pain. It didn't get any lighter and it hurt Tim. There was one way to get Ra's to stop, and he hated it.

"Murder my friends and remaining families." Tim listed. "Taking away my freedom will. Mental manipulation."

Ra's released Tim's head, pleased with his response. He brought Tim close to him, wrapping arms around him. Ra's gave him a false sense of comfort.

"Good boy." Ra's complemented. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Tim merely shook in Ra's' grip. He was disappointed in himself for letting Ra's do this to him. Tim felt exposed and afraid. He knew this wasn't going to end well, wondering what Ra's was going to do now.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth serum may have ran its course, but Tim's not in the clear just yet.

Lying in his corner, Tim was motionless. He was curled up with a hand resting over his eyes. Tim hadn't spoken in a while and was unsure if the effects of the truth serum were still in effect. Though he had a feeling it ran its course. Telling Ra's truths that he'd buried deep took a lot out of him and he didn't want to think about what the man could be planning. Ra's left the room to take care of something, tying Tim to his restraint, so unfortunately, he was stuck dwelling on that and what Tim had said.

The door opened and Ra's entered the room. He didn't say anything, observing Tim's lack of motion since he left. Ra's approached Tim, kneeling beside the bed. A hand rested on Tim's head, causing him to jump. He hated that Ra's was acting so nonchalant about what had happened and seemed to be acting like nothing was wrong. It wasn't that surprising, but that didn't mean that Tim liked it.

"Feeling better?" Ra's softly asked.

"Does it really matter?" Tim sighed.

Ra's' hand gently ran through Tim's hair. He smirked at Tim's comment. It was nice to see the boy regaining his regular speech pattern.

"Sounds like the serum is out of your system." Ra's deduced. "You would have given me a straight answer if it was still in it."

"Good to know." Tim accepted.

Ra's didn't say a word as he continued to sit there. He knew Tim was moping, more than likely regretting that he admitted so much to him. Ra's was flattered by some of it, admittedly. Though forced, he liked that Tim admitted to enjoying his company. It made Ra's feel appreciated that at least one individual of Batman's clan accepted him. Even if it was disgruntled. And while it may not have been Bruce, the one he spent years on trying to lure over to his side, Ra's was glad to have Tim. The only other person to intrigue him in a way similar to Bruce Wayne.

However, that was not what brought him to Tim's bedside at this time. He had other plans that had to be taken care of. Changes that Tim needed to be aware of. Ra's pinched a few strains of black hair.

"We're moving." Ra's stated.

Tim sat up looking at Ra's with horror. Ra's had been told about Batman's activity, and thankfully he wasn't upset about it anymore, having dealt with the assassin who brought him the news. The last thing Ra's wanted to do was take anything out on an undeserving Tim.

"I don't want to go." Tim argued.

"I don't care." Ra's admitted. "You don't get a choice. I'm the one making a decisions around here. Not you."

"The only thing you're going to decide is letting me go home."

"You know I can't do that. Besides, I can't let you have much free will, can I?"

Tim glanced down. He bit his tongue, regretting his forcefully honest statement. Ra's was really going to use that against him and Tim hated knowing that. This was where the manipulation began and there was no going back now.

Ra's grabbed Tim's injured wrist, using it to get Tim on his feet. All he had to do was twist it slightly to get a reaction. When Tim hissed, Ra's stood up, yanking Tim's arm. Wanting to stop the pain, Tim stood up and took a step towards Ra's.

"Good boy." Ra's applauded, moving his grip from Tim's wrist to the chain, removing it from the wall. "Now, let's get going."

~

Ra's hastily loaded Tim on the plane. Tim cooperated, but only begrudgingly. He didn't want to go, that much was certain, but he knew there wasn't any point to fighting it. He was already hurt as it was and didn't want another injury to add to his collection.

The interior was the same as the last time. It had a comfortable couch and a room. Ra's brought Tim to the couch, making sure both were sitting as the plane started running. It took a matter of minutes for the plane to get off the ground so that they could really get comfortable.

And Ra's made sure that Tim was comfortable, opting to take the collar off. He didn't feel it necessary to keep it on since they were airborne. Ra's knew there was no real escape option especially since the boy wasn't prepped to go skydiving. Ra's stood up stretching his legs out a little while Tim sat on the couch.

Something seemed to overtake Tim as he slumped over on the couch. Tim had no idea where this sudden fatigue was coming from. He knew he was rather tired as of late, probably from his body fighting off the intrusive threats that recently entered his system. But that exhaustion felt nothing like this. His body ached and he felt his body shiver in distress.

Ra's walked over to the couch to inspect what was going on. He placed a hand on Tim's head, getting a fell for his temperature. It felt warm, warmer than usual. Ra's kneeled down, wanting to get on the same level as Tim. Though scrunched, Ra's could see Tim's blue eye consciously moving, trying to keep Tim awake.

"You're burning up." Ra's noted, taking his cape off and draping it over Tim. "Unfortunately, I don't think we have the equipment to deal with it at this altitude. I can do some small things, and thankfully you're wearing breathable clothes, but you're going to have to wait this out."

"Okay." Tim sighed.

Tim curled up, trying to get comfortable. How long it would take to let this run its course could be speculated, but Tim hoped it would be soon. He didn't like being this weak in Ra's' presence. And he felt truly vulnerable in this condition. In Tim's mind, he knew vulnerable was easy to manipulate and he was certain that Ra's was going to use it to his advantage.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim has a dream and consciousness brings a new location and a promise.

_Lights greeted Tim in a familiar city wearing his vigilante uniform with the cowl off. It was Gotham and nothing seemed different from when he unwillingly left. It was dark, late in the night, and sirens blared in the distance. He slowly stepped through the city, surveying his surroundings for any disturbances. The crime was at a surprising minimum, and he was in an empty alley. He wasn't sure what exactly he was doing, or who he was looking for._

_A figure distracted him from his train of thought. He looked in front of him, curious as to who he was faced with. He let out a euphoric sigh, glad to see the man in front of him. It was Batman, and he seemed just as happy to see Tim as he was._

_"Tim?" Batman gasped, removing his cowl._

_"Bruce." Tim happily sighed, running up to his mentor and adoptive father._

_He ran into open arms that warmly shrouded him in an embrace. Tim took in the familiar smell of Bruce's vigilante persona, glad to be back. A hand ran through Tim's hair, comforting Tim as small tears streaked down his face._

_"I was so worried about you." Bruce stated._

_"I know." Tim acknowledged. "I was so scared, but I got away."_

_This moment would be short lived. Bruce instantly turned to dust, disappearing in Tim's arms. Losing his balance, Tim fell to his knees as his arms hugged his sides. Tim began sobbing as everything went black._

Tim's eyes began to crack open, allowing some light in. A shadowy figure was in the center of his already hindered visuals. He couldn't tell who it was, and was a little delirious from his dream. All he could process was that, whoever he was looking at, had a toned frame.

"Bruce?" Tim groggily sighed.

"Not quite." A voice calmly admitted.

When Tim's sight focused, he realized that the figure was Ra's. Not only that, but he realized that his head was resting on Ra's' lap. Tim started to panic, his breath quickening as he tried to get up. A hand rested on Tim's chest, preventing him from getting up.

"Calm down." Ra's gently requested.

Tim locked eyes with Ra's, still shaken up. Ra's was calm, showing a kinder side of himself that troubled Tim. Ra's had a soft grin on his face, which felt disturbing. It was uncomfortable and unwanted, and had little to no explanation.

"You were having a fever dream." Ra's explained. "You've been fighting through your fever for two days now." He placed a hand on top of Tim's forehead. "It's dimmed some, but you're still warm."

"Let me go." Tim weakly demanded.

"Of course."

Ra's released Tim and slowly helped him sit up. His hand gently rested on Tim's back as Tim leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. Tim felt light headed, refusing to move as his head spun. A light breeze grazed Tim's frame, adding to the confusion.

Tim looked up, staring at what was in front of him. The window was opened and the sight of tropical foliage with a beach in the distance. Tim dragged himself onto his feet at pulled himself towards the window. Using the frame as a sturdy support, Tim grabbed it as he observed his new environment.

It was sunny and the weather was bearable compared to their last locations. It wasn't too hot, not too cold, the perfect temperature. He couldn't see any other housing units, connecting the solidarity of this location with the others.

Tim was so focused in the sights that he didn't notice Ra's approach him from behind. A hand draped around Tim's shoulders. Ra's gazed down at Tim with subtle sympathy.

"You need to rest." Ra's suggested.

"No." Tim refused, pushing Ra's' arm away.

Ra's refused to take Tim's denial. Wrapping his arms around Tim's shoulders and legs, lifting him off of the ground. Tim weakly kicked and hit Ra's with the hope of getting away, but to no avail. Ra's tossed Tim on the bed, causing him to bounce slightly on the cushion. Tim looked up at Ra's with hazy determination.

"Don't make me restrain you." Ra's threatened. "You need to rest if you want to get better."

"Do it." Tim hissed. "You've already decided to make the decisions around here."

"True, but I want to give you a chance to do as I say the first time."

"That's rich." Tim scoffed. "As if I'd do that."

"Suit yourself."

Instead of a collar or handcuffs, Ra's brought out rope. Tim's ability to fight was fatigued, but that didn't stop him from trying. Ra's rolled him onto his back and pinned Tim's wrists behind it, forcing the rope to tie around his wrists without issue. He gave Tim the opportunity to roll onto his side so that he could get somewhat comfortable.

Ra's didn't see a point in binding Tim's legs. With him surveying Tim, and potentially needing him to move, Ra's needed to know that he had access to one set of limbs. Ra's sat on the edge of the bed. Tim's back was still facing Ra's and he wasn't planning on facing him.

"You need to rest." Ra's repeated, lightly resting his hand on Tim's arm. "You need your strength if you want to see how your family and your pitiful friends are doing."

Tim faltered slightly at the mention of his friends and family. Seeing everyone would be nice, even if it was just a brief one, but he also felt like it was a trap. The offer sounded tempting enough, that much was certain, but he wasn't sure if Ra's was just saying that to get him to cave.

"Yes." Ra's confirmed. "I will let you see them, see how they're faring. All you have to do is rest until this fever passes. You know I'm a man of my word."

Part of Tim believed Ra's statement. Be it because of his dream or his exhaustion, Tim wanted to accept the offer. He also had to consider his health. If he wanted to escape, or if a rescue did happen, he wanted to have his strength.

"Fine." Tim agreed.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a bit of a downward spiral after Tim's fever passes.

It was two days before Tim was in the clear. Ra's never left his side, providing assistance and keeping a forceful hand in Tim's movements. Ra's brought him all of his meals, force feeding Tim twice when he refused to. He also made sure that Tim stayed hydrated and bathed, wanting to make sure that Tim stayed healthy and well maintained. There was no way Ra's was going to let Tim succumb to a lack of upkeep.

It was embarrassing to have Ra's do what he did. Tim hated that Ra's was taking control of functions that he could do on his own. He wasn't restrained, which was great in hindsight, but that meant nothing when Ra's was down his throat and physically taking control when Tim fought back.

With Tim now in the clear, Ra's agreed to keep his word. Showing Tim his friends and family. He led Tim down a few hallways to a surveillance room. There were several screens activated, each with their own focus. Ra's sat Tim in the chair and Tim observed each one.

Nightwing was fighting Deathstroke. And with the help of Robin, he was able to get the assassin off Nightwing's back for now. Jason became more aggressive on the streets, beating criminals within an inch of their lives. Conner and the rest of the Titans were dealing with several of the H.I.V.E. members. Batman broke into their previous location. When he found nothing and, for that matter, no one a frustrated yell escaped the Dark Knight.

"As you can see, I've been able to get the most recent activities of your allies." Ra's stated. "I don't know what's worse. You have Nightwing's brush with his captor. Jason's aggression. Your friends' obligations outweighing your safety. Or maybe the Detective's increasing rage." Ra's grimly grinned. "It's sad really. All of this chaos over one little disappearance. It's your fault."

Tim stood up, a mix of guilt and concern shrouding him. He wondered if Ra's was right. Wondered if this would have happened had he not snuck out that night. He was so consumed with wanting to help that he didn't think of the consequences. Everyone was in chaos, displaying various levels of coping.

Tim was starting to blame himself for letting this happen. He looked at Ra's who seemed amused with his distress. It was disturbing. Tim shrunk out of the room, wanting to hide.

Hands grabbed Tim's arms, stopping him from escaping. He didn't have to look to see who it was and started to squirm. He was done with these games.

"Let me go." Tim demanded.

"No." Ra's denied.

"You're sick, you know that right?"

"Sick, or patient?"

Ra's' arms moved from Tim's arms to around his shoulders. An uncomfortable tingle surged through Tim's body as Ra's got closer to his ear. He could feel Ra's' breath brush against the side of his face, causing to shiver.

"After all, you haven't made an attempt to contact your friends." Ra's whispered. "Escape? You've tried, but you haven't tried to reach out." Ra's smirked. "Admit it, as free as you claim you want to be, deep down, you really want to stay."

Tim briefly held his breath. He didn't want to answer that question. Ra's already got him to unconsciously admit to liking his presence, there was no way he was going to feed Ra's' twisted scheme. He wasn't going to feed Ra's' manipulative prodding more than he already had.

Tim's footing weakened, causing his legs to give into his weight. Ra's held the defeated weight, not allowing Tim to hit the ground. That was enough of an admission for Ra's.

"I hate you." Tim whispered.

~

Tim clenched onto the bed in depressed anxiety. He couldn't enjoy the freedom of being unrestrained with Ra's breathing down his neck. And he didn't have the will to do anything about it.

He was dressed in a clean outfit and Ra's finally used a portion of the Lazarus Pit to fix his damaged arm. Ra's was sitting on the edge of the bed observing Tim. He wasn't impressed with the lack of motion, but he appreciated the fact that Tim wasn't making any attempts to get away.

"You look so defeated." Ra's observed. "If I'd of known you'd just be lying around all day, I would have made it more fun for you. Secure my future lineage even."

"Of course you would." Tim sighed. "Got to keep that immortal gene going."

Ra's patted Tim's head. It was nice to see some of Tim's wit still around. There was no telling how much time it had left. Ra's left his hand on Tim's head, too comfortable to remove it.

"You'll appreciate what I've done for you one day." Ra's promised.

"Yeah, the day after never maybe." Tim snidely responded.

Ra's smirked at the remark, amused by it. It was refreshing. Ra's turned his attention to the window. It was a nice enough day and there wasn't much that Ra's had planned for the day.

"Why don't we go out for a walk?" Ra's suggested. "You could use the fresh air."

"No thanks." Tim disagreed.

Ra's wasn't going to take Tim's response. He slipped his hands around Tim's shoulders and knee's picking him up. Tim weakly started squirming, not liking the shift.

"Let me go." Tim demanded.

"No." Ra's denied. "We're going out."

~

A light breeze swiped past Tim's face. Ra's set Tim down, allowing him to walk. Tim folded his arms and followed Ra's along. He led the former Robin to the shoreline and let Tim gaze at it.

The water gently brushed against the shore. It was peaceful, but it only masked the underlining issues. It was free, and Tim wasn't. Tim knelt down. He didn't feel like running, but for some reason attempting to bargain sounded like an option.

"What will it take for you to release me?" Tim asked.

"Nothing." Ra's refused. "You're mine."

Tim sighed in defeat. His response shouldn't have been a surprise, but it still bothered him. Even more so than usual. Something inside of him snapped.

A discomfort filled Tim's chest, causing his hand to clench it. His breath started to hasten and strain. Dread began to set in and he started to shake.

"Please. Let me go." Tim begged. "I want to go home."

Ra's crouched down beside him. He set his hand on Tim's back with a good idea as to what was happening. And he was going to push it further if he had to.

"You know I can't do that Timothy." Ra's stated. "I put too much work in keeping you at my side to do that now. You're finally starting to like it."

Tim gasped. His body violently jerked, shaking even more. His eyes widened in distress and his hands protectively clamped on his head. He wanted to scream, but he didn't want to weaken his defenses. His psyche and vocal cords, on the other hand, wanted otherwise.

"I can't stay here." Tim denied. "I don't want to stay here. I don't want to like being here with you. I don't."

Ra's sat down, pulling Tim onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around Tim, holding onto Tim and his panic attack. Tim's breath was still strained and uneven and his body refused to fight Ra's off.

"But it's too late." Ra's whispered. "You already have."


	25. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything starts to fall apart.

Tim's mobility and presence was stuck shuffling between Ra's' bed, his throne room, the dining room and the beach. He was allowed mobility, but not without knowing that each room was being surveyed. Tim's anxiety fluctuated between a calming lull and unbearably paralyzing. Ra's continuously invaded his personal space, muttering words of cunning desire. Planning a future that he intended to force onto the vigilante.

It was disheartening and uncomfortable to hear Ra's' schemes. Less so, when Tim knew he was at the center of a number of them. The plans of fusing his genes with someone in Ra's' family to provide a 'worthy' lineage. The plans to have Tim satisfy Ra's where Bruce did not, and be nothing more than a prize to flaunt when it's all over. All of them were discouraging. And deservingly so.

Tim wanted to get away from it all, but Ra's refused to leave him alone. Everywhere he went, Ra's was right beside him. He couldn't even try to enjoy the serene view of the beach without Ra's over his shoulder. The only time he got any privacy was when he was in the bathroom. And even then, Tim knew Ra's was on the other side, patiently waiting for him.

When he slept, Tim was on Ra's' bed. Ra's was usually awake when he fell asleep, and usually not there himself so that Tim could fall asleep without issue. It was the only way he wouldn't be restrained, but it also subjected him to being on the same bed as Ra's, something he was adamant about avoiding.

They were quietly eating breakfast. Tim's health was starting to get better and stay on a sound level. Some mental distress lingered, hindering his physical health slightly, but Tim didn't let it consume his overall health. The last thing he wanted was for Ra's to care for him. Especially with how forceful he was when Tim got that fever. He wanted some control over what he did and he knew he wouldn't get that if he was sick.

"You look well." Ra's complemented. "A lot better than the last few days that's for sure. Color's coming back to your face."

"I'm trying." Tim weakly thanked.

The air went quiet as Tim's gaze stuck to his plate. He was curious as to what Ra's might have planned for the day. Ra's leaned forward.

"I have a meeting to attend to so I'm going to need you to come along." Ra's admitted.

"Who's it with?" Tim inquired.

"Someone we both know."

Tim pushed his plate forward, done with it. He began to speculate who it could be. It was highly unlikely that it was Bruce. Definitely not the Joker. Options were pretty limited as to who Ra's associated with, but there were still a few options.

Ra's walked around to Tim, tapping his shoulder. That was Tim's cue to stand up, which he did. He followed Ra's' lead without question, knowing what would happen if he didn't.

~

They got to the room without issue. Ra's took a seat, giving Tim a spare. Tim took it, keeping a slight distance between him and Ra's. The expected video call came up instantaneously.

The screen lit up as Ra's accepted the video call. It was Deathstroke. Tim was a little surprised and the assassin seemed curious. The last time Tim saw the man was when Ra's showed him surveillance of Deathstroke attacking Nightwing.

"What do I owe the honor Ra's?" Deathstroke inquired, getting to the point.

"I just thought I'd see how you're recent activity has been going." Ra's stated. "I know you recently came into contact with the Detective's eldest."

Deathstroke folded his arms. He wasn't surprised by the fact that Ra's knew. It was a little strange that Ra's was checking on his business, but given his companion, Deathstroke knew the importance of these protégés.

"I did." Deathstroke admitted. "It was meant to rile him up more than anything. Don't plan on doing anything yet." Deathstroke scanned Tim from beneath his mask. "Though it would appear you did not do the same."

"Of course not." Ra's confirmed. "I saw an opportunity, and I took it." Ra's proudly smirked. "Plus, he's crumbling beneath my command."

"And how long do you think that will last?"

"The hope is for a permanent result."

Deathstroke admired Ra's' resolve. He was going to be determined, that much was certain. Ra's wasn't known for giving up easily in his experience.

"Well if you ask me, dominance is a great tool." Deathstroke suggested. "If I know anything about the Bat's protégés, it's that they are headstrong and rebellious. They need someone to break them down and strip them of their dignity and pride."

Ra's was amused by Deathstroke's suggestion. It wasn't shocking that he would suggest a more aggressive method of handling things. However, Tim wasn't like Jason or Richard. He was intelligent and strategic, and could be rebellious, but he was calm and introverted. Ra's turned his attention to Tim for a moment.

"That may be," Ra's mused, "but I don't think he'd be ready for such a thing."

"Why should that matter? He might not be able to handle it psychologically, but isn't complacency what you want?"

Ra's observed Tim. Tim's eyes bounced around the room, not wanting to make eye contact with the man. He knew Ra's was scheming something, and wasn't comforted by the potential.

"Of course." Ra's agreed.

~

Tim was pushed onto the bed. His shirt was ruffled up and torn. Since hanging up from Deathstroke, Ra's didn't say a word, but his eyes spoke volumes, craving a dominance that was nightmarish and cruel.

"Where to start?" Ra's contemplated, pulling out a dagger.

Tim looked up at Ra's in horror.

"How about nowhere?" Tim suggested, using his legs as a barrier. "You don't have to do what Deathstroke says."

"True, but I do enjoy his suggestion." Ra's admitted.

The blade gently glossed over Tim's face, leaving not a mark. It did the same as it scaled down Tim's throat. It traced down to his chest, pressure starting to increase. Tim painfully hissed as blood began erupting to the surface.

"Good boy." Ra's mused. "I do love to hear you sing."

Tim violently shook as he lied in Ra's' bed. Bangs messily covered his face and cuts finally clotted. The sheets were changed out in order to get rid of the stains from Tim's abuse.

Ra's carefully watched Tim. He mentally applauded his efforts, proud that he was able to deteriorate Tim's will. Visually tracing along his mark that scarred Tim's back, he was ready to inquire about his resolve.

"So, who do you belong to?" Ra's asked.

Tim didn't initially respond, but Ra's knew he heard. He was willing to wait. He waited for some the boy's composure to return.

"You." Tim weakly whispered.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim seems to warm up some to his predicament.

A cup of warm tea tapped dry lips. Ra's took a sip of tea as he looked at the three files in front of him. Each one had a picture of a different individual with a brief synopsis into their past. They were all potential recruit and each one was tested for such. He looked up at Tim, who was calmly watching him, setting his cup down.

Tim seemed proud and intrigued. He had to deal with all three, testing out their abilities. He was a little roughed up from fighting them, but he wasn't too bothered by it. He was comfortably sitting, a cup of water sitting in front of him along with an empty plate. They had finished breakfast not too long ago, but stuck at the table to address what was in front of Ra's.

"So, what can you tell me about them?" Ra's inquired, looking at Tim curiously. "How loyal do you think they'd be?"

"They're all good fighters, but different perks in regards to intelligence and loyalty." Tim noted. "Subject A is loyal, but he's not too bright. Subject B is bright, but he's not too loyal to the cause. Subject C is the best of both. She just might need some persuading."

"And how was it fighting each of them?"

"Pretty good. Like I said, they all fight good, but I did approach each one differently. I took down A pretty easily. He's in the infirmary recovering, but he isn't too damaged if you want to recruit him. I had to really beat down B so that he wouldn't get away and do anything suspicious. I am very suspicious about him, and apparently, I wasn't the only one to think that since another assassin put him in the dungeon for you to deal with. I treated C with respect. We treated it like a sensible training session and she's on the training grounds with a few others."

The descriptions and battles with all three were informative. It was nice to see that Tim put in an effort to make these observations into basic judgements and treating each area properly. It was clear to see which one would be the best choice. Loyalty was key, but so was intelligence.

"So C would be our best candidate?" Ra's deduced, holding up her file.

"Yes." Tim agreed. "She'll follow you well, but if you really want to woe her over, you could make her go on a mission to dispose of the people who killed her parents. That's just my opinion though."

That was a persuasive request. Something like that could be very important. A tad manipulative, but something that could win over this candidate. Ra's appreciated the insight and could very well use it.

"I could arrange that." Ra's admitted.

Ra's stood up and approached Tim. He proudly ruffled his hair. Tim didn't shy away from it, actually enjoying the gesture. This was still a newly acquired acceptance, even if it had been a little over a week since Tim's acceptance of the situation. If anything, Ra's was surprised that Tim was warming up to it so quickly.

"Excellent work Timothy." Ra's complemented. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you." Tim accepted.

~

Ra's entered the training grounds, whipping clean the blood off of his hands. He made a stop in the dungeon to deal with the suspicious recruit option. He gave the assassin a chance to explain himself, but when Ra's found his reasoning bothersome, he ended the man's life.

Ra's scanned the room, searching for Tim's pick. In the corner stood a figure clad in black. A mask covered her nose and mouth as her brown eyes observed the other assassins. Ra's quietly approached her.

"Welcome to the League of Assassins, Yoko." Ra's greeted.

"Thank you, master." The assassin replied, accepting the offer. "How may I serve you?"

"I do not have a mission for you now. However, I would like you to keep a close eye on Timothy if I'm not around. And by that, I mean keep him safe."

"So you want me to babysit him?" She inquired, folding her arms.

"Protect him. Will that be a problem?"

"No."

~

Ra's entered the bedroom to find Tim with a soft grin on his face and was wearing red and black pajamas. Ra's sent him off to the infirmary to observe the remains of the unworthy candidates. Ra's wanted to keep Tim's mind rolling by having him study things he saw fit.

"I studied the body." Tim stated.

"And what did you learn?" Ra's asked.

"Subject A had a heart issue. Given its abnormally large size, I think he may have had high blood pressure. Or his genetics was working against him." Tim shrugged, comfortable with his deduction. "I don't know if he was aware of it, but had he not been put out of his misery, he would have soon." Tim sighed. "Subject B was healthy. Physically strong. Had good muscle build and heart, though I couldn't give you anything about the brain. Outside of the stab wounds and poison he was strong."

"And what can you tell me about the poison?"

"It was a concoction of cobra venom and black widow venom. It wouldn't have taken long for it to kill him if the bleeding didn't help quicken it. A little overkill if you ask me, but it made for a fascinating study."

"Excellent observations."

Ra's came up to Tim, grabbing the sides of his face. A thumb gently traced alongside Tim's lower eyelid. He noted the tired demeanor in Tim's eyes, even with his rather upbeat expression.

"You look exhausted." Ra's observed. "How about you get some sleep?"

"Of course." Tim agreed.

Ra's released Tim, allowing him to hop into bed. Tim flopped onto the bed, curling up. He snuggled up as Ra's covered him up with the blanket.

"I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Ra's promised.

Tim nodded. He let out a yawn as he closed his eyes. Sleep took over quickly, allowing Tim to relax.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoko is Subject C, and I have an idea that I may want to do with her, but I don't know if I will.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoko has been tasked to watch Tim throughout the day, and when Timm retires to his and Ra's' quarters, she helps keep an issue secret.

Yoko quietly followed Tim around from a distance. Ra's had to deal with an issue regarding the Dark Knight and didn't want Tim involved. He didn't want to work Tim up in this transitional state. Ra's also didn't want Yoko to get too close, so that Tim could feel like he could have some unrestrained freedom.

Her mission was simple. Keep an eye on Tim. She was to make sure that he was okay, that no one hurt him, and that he didn't revert back to his original state and try to escape. It was a dull mission, but she knew better than to question Ra's. With what he did to the other two candidates, she didn't want to piss the man off.

Tim entered the library, wanting to do some reading. He cruised through several books, looking for the right one. He pulled out Dracula, taking it to a chair nearby. Such small decisions made Yoko question what Ra's saw in him. He wasn't physically imposing and for some reason calm. That wasn't to say he couldn't fight. That Yoko could vouch for. He just didn't look the part.

It had be an intellect thing, if she had to guess. She would hear Ra's praise him for it while training with him. For his strategical maneuvers.

Tim spent an hour in the library before returning to his and Ra's' quarters. Everyone shot him glances. Not that they were allowed to do much else. The only people who could come into contact with Tim was Ra's, Yoko, and Ubu. The latter two only doing so out of necessity and restraint. Not even Talia got near him. However, Talia had no desire to in the first place.

With him in the room, Yoko knew she shouldn't follow him. He was safe and probably wished to get away from everyone. Instead, she would monitor the exterior until Ra's got back. He would be back soon, so it wasn't like anything was going to happen.

That was until she hear a troubled noise from the other side of the door. It sounded little sniffling mixed with a weak cry. Yoko entered the room, knowing that she had to make sure he was alright. She was certain that Ra's would understand.

She found Tim on the ground. He quickly collected himself, hiding his distress. Tim looked at Yoko with confused embarrassment. However, he seemed a little relieved that it was Yoko and not someone else. He was probably expecting Ra's with his hasty reaction.

"What are you doing here?" Tim weakly asked.

"I heard a noise." Yoko stated, approaching him. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

She knelt in front of him, studying him carefully. She could see residual redness under his eyes and what would appear to be remnants of tears. He wasn't starved or beaten, but as Yoko looked at Tim's arms, she could see thin scars.

"I'm punishing myself for thinking about escaping." Tim muttered. "I thought about them and I don't want him to punish me."

The fear and guilt in his eyes was heartbreaking. Yoko ran to the bathroom, finding some medical wrap. She acted quickly and silently. All the while, Yoko gave Tim an understanding and respectful gaze.

When she was finished, Tim shot her a thankful gaze, to which she replied with a nod. Yoko was about to say something when she heard a slight commotion outside. She stood up and went for the door, believing it was Ra's.

Glancing out, she could confirm that, seeing him coming down the hall. She turned back to Tim, who was shaken. Yoko knew she couldn't leave Tim worried.

"It's okay." Yoko whispered. "You're secret's safe with me."

Yoko snaked outside of the room with that. She knew it was going to be okay. She just had to think up a convincing explanation for entering her master's quarters. Yoko didn't have to get far before facing her leader.

"What are you doing?" Ra's questioned.

"I was keeping an eye on him, like you requested." Yoko stated. "He retired to the room, and I thought I heard trouble. There was a snake in the room. A common viper. It must have crawled in when no one was looking." Yoko shrugged her shoulders. "It didn't bite him, but he was a little ruffled up by it. I disposed of the snake and I went back in to make sure he was okay."

"And is he?"

"Yes, a little frazzled, but okay."

Ra's seemed to appreciate the gesture as he gave Yoko a small grin. At least she was keeping an eye on his heir. He walked around her, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thank you for keeping an eye on him." Ra's thanked. "I'll take it from here."

The two departed, going their separate ways. Ra's entered the room, finding Tim dressed in his pajamas, sitting on the bed. Tim seemed calm as he greeted Ra's with a soft smile. It was a good sign since it seemed that he wasn't bothered by the unexpected intrusion. Ra's approached him, sitting on the side of the bed.

"I'm sorry that you had such a freight while I was gone." Ra's apologized, gently running a hand through Tim's hair. "I'll have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It's okay." Tim forgave, rolling with it. "I'm grateful that Yoko was here. So, how was your business venture?"

"Good. It went as planned, so I can't complain."

"That's good. That's all you can ask for, right?"

"Yes, but I must admit, I did miss not having you beside me." Ra's let out a yawn. "I think we should get some sleep."

"Agreed."

Tim slunk down onto the bed, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. Ra's excused himself briefly to freshen up and change before claiming the other side of the bed. Tim was asleep almost instantaneously, not even noticing when Ra's got there. Part of Tim's wrapped arms barely made their way out of the long sleeves of his top, hinting at the truth behind what really happened.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoko's true identity comes to light.

Yoko continued to observe Tim from a distance in silence. After finding Tim harming himself, she was worried that he could do it again. She knew she had keep an eye out for him because she was concern. And even though Ra's was keeping Tim close, she made sure to watch them from the shadows.

Tim's demeanor always seemed happy in Ra's' presence. Whether this was because of Tim suppressing his pain and lying to himself, an inner sense of joy being with Ra's, or both could be debated. Though if it were the second option, it was a rather twisted condition. Either way, something was off about the situation.

The next time she would get the chance to get some alone time with Tim was when Ra's had to leave for another meeting. She was able to get closer, noting the physically health condition Tim was in. There were new cuts that she did treat, which were the result of Tim punishing himself for his harbored loathing towards Ra's. He thought he had suppressed it deep enough.

Tim would eventually fall asleep, comfortable with Yoko watching over him. She did so with silent confidence. He looked peaceful when he slept. Like he didn't have a care in the world. A hand delicately ran through his hair as Yoko contemplated Tim's reason for being here.

It didn't feel right. From what she heard through the grapevine, he wasn't exactly a willing participant. Not that Ra's cared. Ra's apparently spent weeks with Tim as his captive in the hopes to break him and make him his heir. It was a sad, cruel fate.

"You seem really attached for someone who doesn't seem to like company." Ra's' voice noted, startling Yoko.

"My apologies." Yoko gasped, turning her attention towards Ra's. "I just wanted to check on him."

"I know. You seem to be doing a lot of that lately."

Ra's stepped further into the room, approaching Yoko. She stood in place, not knowing if she should or needed to respond. Ra's said nothing, carefully examining her.

"You know, we've never gotten to see your face, but I think I know who you really are." Ra's observed.

"What do you mean?" Yoko asked.

"I went over your files again, and after doing some investigating, I've come across something peculiar." Ra's cocked his head. "You're parents weren't murdered. In fact, you don't even live with them. You aren't looking for a killer, you were raised by one. And you may be loyal, but not to me." Ra's proudly smirked. "Am I wrong, Cassandra?"

The girl's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe Ra's' assumption. Just how accurate it was. It was disturbing to know that Ra's had managed to catch on so soon, as she had hoped to do as she intended long before he did.

"It's no wonder he picked you." Ra's noted. "You crafted the perfect resume. The only question is how much he knew. I'm stuck between wondering if he somehow knew and chose you in an effort to be saved and the notion that Tim had no idea and you were just that convincing."

Cass removed the mask, fully exposing her face. Brown eyes aggressively dug into Ra's. She didn't like where this could go.

"So what are you going to do?" Cass inquired.

"Well your registration still stands. So you can stay." Ra's stated. "I admit, I applaud your skills and would like to have then on my side. And with Tim by my side, it would be incredible to have another strong individual on our side."

Cass folded her arms. She wasn't sure if she should laugh or be horrified by the offer. The fact that he even offered that was offensive. She wasn't here to join his cult. She was here for Tim.

"I'm going to have to pass." Cass denied. "No offense, but this isn't exactly what I want in life."

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to detain you." Ra's grimly admitted.

With the snap of his fingers, Ubu and a few assassins entered the room. Cass instinctually got into a defensive stance. Unfortunately, her mind processed who was in the room. With Tim there sleeping, the last thing she wanted was to unintentionally harm him.

Tim began to stir from his sleep. His sight was a little blurry, but he was able to make out some of the chaos as he sat up. From what he could tell, they were taking Yoko.

"Yo…" Tim yawned, before realizing who it really was. "Cass?!"

"Don't worry." Ra's sighed, sitting next to him. "We're just dealing with a mole."

"Everything will be okay." Cass comforted as she was dragged out of the room. "We're going to get you out of here.

Tim tried to get up so he could chase after them, but Ra's stopped him. Grabbing Tim's wrist, Ra's pulled down his sleeve, exposed the bandages around his arm. Tim was uncomfortable as Ra's glared at the injuries.

"Do you really think I wouldn't find out about this?" Ra's asked. "I for finding ways to suppress your urges to escape, but I don't condone harming yourself."

Tim tried to remove his wrist from Ra's' grip, twisting it. All that seemed to do was tighten Ra's' grip to the point that it felt like the bone was being crushed. Tim hissed, letting Ra's know he was in pain.

"Let me go." Tim begged.

"No. You need to learn from this. It's just unfortunate that young Cassandra will have to be punished for it."

"No."

Ra's pushed Tim down, forcing him to lie down. His hand held Tim down as it gripped part of Tim's shirt. Green eyes were calmly and maliciously digging into Tim.

"You don't get a say in the matter." Ra's decided. "And you're not in the clear."

Tim began fearfully panting, not knowing what to expect. Ra's' hand released the front of his shirt, trailing down slightly. Tim was now terrified. He trying to avoid punishment, and now it was coming to him like a hungry lion.

"Where to begin?" Ra's processed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I intended for this to happen so an escape can be put into place. Originally, I was going to have Connor burst onto the scene, but having Cass try to sneak in seemed better. Plus, I could still involve Connor somehow if I want to.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos begin to unravel.

Tim curled up in bed scared and confused. He felt tainted and damaged. Ra's' punishment was traumatic and forceful, and he could still feel Ra's' touch. Tim wasn't sure how he was going to get over it. What was worse was the fact that his was left alone shortly after being punished.

And his mind sunk. Tim's mind was going through a number of emotions. As well as concerns for everyone that he now knew were involved. He was terrified for Cass. He was terrified for himself. He didn't even know who was all involved in this rescue gone sour. Though admittedly, Tim was shocked that a plan to rescue him had been implemented. He wasn't expecting one to happen at this point.

Tim slipped off of the bed, dragging himself to the bathroom. He wanted to feel clean and try to relax. With a clean set of clothes and a towel already in the bathroom, he could get in the shower without worrying about grabbing them. As he locked the door, Tim got undressed.

Tim turned the water on, letting it to warm up and fill the tub up before stepping in. He sat down, allowing the water to cover his body. It felt relaxing, but only on a physical level. He was feeling even more hopeless, if that was even possible. Tim sank in the tub, allowing the water to absorb everything up to his nose.

When Tim exited the bathroom, he was greeted by the sight of Ra's in the room. Ra's approached him. He gently placed his hands on Tim's shoulders, sending a chill down Tim's spine. He wanted to run away, but he didn't have the strength to.

"I have good news." Ra's softly declared, brushing a wet bang out of Tim's face. "Nyssa has agreed to bear your child. Or at least try to."

"You must be thrilled." Tim sighed.

"If all goes according, yes. It can give us an heir." Ra's smirked, picturing the child that could come to life before sighing. "She only agreed to take you tonight though. And if this proves to have a positive outcome, she will carry and care for the child for the first year of their life. That's the longest she willing to spend near me. After that, Talia has volunteered to take over their care and training, but you'll still get to see them. If that doesn't work, I'm sure I can think of an alternative. I think I can get Talia to agree."

Tim expected as much. It wasn't a surprise that Ra's had a plan and knew he had to think of an alternative just in case. Though it was a little disturbing that Ra's was willing to pawn off his daughters like that. It wasn't right. Especially with Talia's lingering love for Bruce and by extent Damian.

The sounds of knocking interrupted any chance to continue or change their conversation. Ra's released Tim, annoyed, as he went to go answer it. As he opened the door, it showed that Ubu was on the other side. He was nervous about something and it was apparent that he dreading having to tell Ra's whatever was on his mind.

"Master." Ubu anxiously greeted.

"What is it?" Ra's interrogated.

"It's the girl. She escaped."

~

Cass ran around the base looking for a way out. When several assassins came to check on her, she wasted no time escaping, beating them until they were rendered unconscious. She pinched her earing, activating a comlink.

"Mission compromised." Cass relayed. "Need help."

"Batman's on his way." Connor replied. "I'll cause a distraction until they get here."

"Got it."

Cass turned her communicator off and shifted her focus. She was going to find Tim, extracting him from this prison and freeing him. Knowing that Batman was on his way was a miracle. Getting him away would be swift.

A loud explosion caught her attention. It was Connor no doubt. Cass could hear assassins running towards it to find out what was going on. It may have been a little loud and over the top, but that gave her the benefit of getting to the room without much distraction.

When she found the room, she pried the door open. What she found, however, was horrifying. The room was empty. It didn't take long for her to realize that Ra's knew she was coming and ran off with Tim.

~

Ra's got out of the base, pulling Tim along with him. With Cass out and the break in, he knew the detective was not too far behind. Ra's hated having to move, especially with the familiarity of the last time he encountered the Dark Knight. He wished to prevent the outcome of the last time Batman got involved.

He didn't get to dwell on it long, nor was his wish granted, as he was promptly attacked. Batman had jumped out of his jet, landing a drop kick on Ra's, causing him to release Tim. Ra's recovered quickly, glaring at Batman, who was clearly enraged by what was in front of him.

"You're going to regret taking Tim." Batman growled, walking towards Ra's.

"We shall see." Ra's replied, removing his cape.

Batman ran at Ra's, being the first to throw a punch. Ra's deflected it and retaliated with one of his own. They were evenly matched for a while before Batman was able to get the upper hand. He was able to knock Ra's around, getting him to the ground. Batman's anger refused to simmer and was going to deal. But when something crossed his line of sight, Batman's reflexed quickly allowed him to stop.

Tim stood between them, miraculously unharmed with Batman's fist centimeters away from his face. He was unfazed by what could have happened. Batman retracted his fist, but his shock and anger was still evident. Why Tim was hopping between them was a morbidly curious thought and Batman didn't want him there.

"Get out of the way." Batman ordered.

"No." Tim refused. "I will not let you kill him. I'm his heir."


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ra's and Batman's battle comes to a close.

Batman couldn't believe what was coming out of Tim's mouth as his fist fell to his side. It was bad enough that Tim was stepping into the fight. Now he was defend Ra's. After everything Ra's could have possible put Tim through, Batman refused to believe that this was coming from Tim. Refused to believe that Tim was actually accepting Ra's' offer.

"You can't be serious?" Batman scoffed. "Tim, he has done so much to you. How can you possibly defend him?"

"I am serious." Tim argued. "I belong here with him. He takes care of me." He looked back at Ra's for a moment. "Ra's is forgiving and he won't hurt me without reason."

That was a troubling revelation. It not only implied what he already knew, that Ra's had hurt him, but that Tim seemed to be alright with it. It filled Batman with dread. There was no way that it could be true.

Batman's hand softly grabbed the side of Tim's face, causing Tim to flinch, as he tried to investigate the damage. Surprisingly, Tim looked healthy, though scathed some. He was at a normal weight and bones weren't exposed. There weren't any dark circles under his eyes, so at least he was sleeping well. Ra's wanted him healthy that much was certain.

What really spoke to Batman was Tim's eyes. Blue pools were fearful and hypnotized. Behind a forced façade of admiration, Tim was afraid. Tim wouldn't admit to it, but he was pleading for help. For freedom. But he was afraid. Afraid for what could happen to him. Ra's really got into his head.

"I know that's not true." Batman observed. "You're scared. Let me take you home."

"I want to be with him." Tim accepted, stepping away from his mentor.

"He kidnapped you."

"He needs me. And I need peace. I want to stay with him."

As Tim backed up further, a hand grabbed his shoulder. It was attached to Ra's, who was pleased with Tim's declaration. Tim looked at him with intrigue, hoping that he did well. Ra's' smirk was enough to calm Tim down.

"I'm surprised Timothy." Ra's chimed in. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I'm surprised by your enthusiasm." Ra's ran his hand through Tim's hair. "I'm proud you."

Batman was disturbed by the gesture. It was creepy and unsettling to see Ra's being sentimental in such a way. What Ra's was doing wasn't kind or comforting. It was a grooming tactic, used to program Tim to submit to him.

"What did you do to him?" Batman growled.

"I merely accepted him into my family." Ra's stated. "He's a wonderful child. In need of guidance, but a wonderful kid." Ra's turned Tim around so that he would face him, both of Ra's hands resting on Tim's shoulders. "Why don't you board the jet while I finish this?"

"Are you sure?" Tim asked.

"Yes. I can't have you getting hurt."

"Okay."

Tim went for the jet the moment Ra's let him go. Looking ahead, he knew he had to get passed Batman. Getting away from the battle was all he wanted. However, getting passed Batman, didn't go as planned.

Batman grabbed Tim, pulling him closer. It happened so quickly that Tim wasn't sure how to properly react. He began squirming and hyperventilating, uncomfortable with the situation. He wasn't fond of being held, even if it was Batman. He had grown so used to Ra's that contact with Batman felt invasive and unfamiliar. Weak cries emerged from Tim as Batman glared at Ra's.

"You surprise me Detective." Ra's snidely commented. "Do you really want to keep him here? I thought you'd like to keep him safe."

"Not if that includes containing him where you could easily move." Batman coldly predicted. "I know exactly what you're planning."

"And what, pray tell, might that be?"

"The moment he steps on that jet, you'll have Ubu escort him away. That way, regardless of what happens to you, he'll be somewhere where you know he'll be contained. Hypnotically waiting for you to return."

"Clever. Though, I wouldn't say hypnotized. More like woeful acceptance. He may have a lingering will to leave, but he can't. He's so accustom to my care that he can't. But that's beside the point. You're here to steal my belonging and I cannot accept that."

Ra's pulled out his sword, ready for round two. Batman tossed Tim aside, running towards the Demon Head. They were just as evenly matched as the last time. Getting the upper hand was going to be a challenge.

Tim slowly sat up. His body stung a little, but he was otherwise unharmed. As his vision cleared, he saw the fight. He also got a glimpse of Cass and Conner standing by the entrance of the base watching Batman and Ra's' fight. He didn't even know if they saw him, but he was glad that they were alright.

It was unsettling. Tim was uncertain what he should do next. He could run for the jet like he was told, but he wasn't sure if that was such a good idea now. Conner would stop him. He could watch, but he didn't know if he wanted to know the outcomes.

Ra's got the upper hand, knocking Batman over with a kick. He approached the vigilante with a smirk. Tossing his blade a side, he was ready to deal the final blow.

"Face it Detective." Ra's proclaimed. "You lost."

A blade pierced through Ra's, stopping him in his tracks. Blood trickled down from the wound as he gathered enough strength to turn around. Tim was standing behind him, shaking in terror. Ra's lost his balance, leaning against Tim while using his hands to support his weight.

"I'm sorry." Tim weakly apologized. "I panicked."

"It's okay." Ra's forgave. "You were just confused." He brushed a bang aside. "I'll be back. That's a promise. But until then, you can live with the fact that you killed me. That you lost control and showed that you can take over one day. I am so proud of you."

Ra's collapsed, dying in Tim's arms. Tim stood firmly in his place, not falling over. He couldn't. As traumatized as he was, Tim couldn't move.

Batman quickly approached Tim, removing Ra's from him and lying the body on the ground. Connor and Cass weren't too far behind. As he inspected Tim, Batman noted the blood stains on Tim's upper body. Once again, Tim wasn't physically hurt. Though mentally was a different story.

Tim was frozen, staring at the body in horror. He was so numb that when Batman grabbed his shoulders, he didn't react. Cass and Connor approached Tim. Connor could hear Tim's heartbeat anxiously flutter while Cass gently placed a hand on his back to no response.

"Tim." Batman softly called. "It's okay."

Tim fell forward, landing in Batman's arms. Shaking rocked through Tim's body, but he remained silent. He couldn't react any more than that. He was too distraught and shaken to react any other way.

Batman firmly held onto Tim, hoping that it comforted him. He wasn't upset with Tim for what he did. He was a little stunned, sure, but he wasn't going to condemn him for it. It was a distressed reaction. He was just glad that Tim was safe and was no longer in Ra's' grip.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion.

"All done." Leslie proclaimed, setting her stethoscope aside.

Tim was in a sedated state of sleep. He was held in Bruce's arms as Bruce sat on the medical table. It had been a week since Tim got home, and after running a few tests and taking some samples, he was sent back to the manor. Leslie requested he be brought in for a checkup and to get Bruce the results once Tim got settled.

"He's in good health." Leslie stated. "But did you really have to sedate him?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Bruce confirmed. "He's not exactly comfortable around other people."

"Still?"

Bruce grimly nodded. It wasn't a wonderful situation to be in. Everyone hoped that he would at least warm up to his surroundings. When he didn't, or just barely, it effected everyone. He was horrified, and while it had only been a short time since his release, it hurt the family.

"The only person he seems remotely close to is me." Bruce stated. "But I feel that's only because I'm the adult and he's so used to being around Ra's that he feels he has to."

Leslie removed her glasses and set them on the counter beside her. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she sat down. As she picked up the file with the test results, she knew she had to figure out what was going on before exposing its contents.

"Tell me what it's like." Leslie requested.

Bruce glanced down at Tim. He was still sleeping. All of the recent events plagued Bruce's mind, but he knew that he only needed to mention the more important things.

"He's frightful." Bruce started. "He spend most of the day in his room. He eats well enough and walks outside when he feels the need to stretch his legs." Bruce continued to think of significant things. "But he has nightmares."

"I see." Leslie noted. "How did you respond?"

Bruce chuckled. It wasn't a pleasant one, but a cold, disheartened one. His mind dwelled on the twisted events that happened every night that Tim's been home. The look in Tim's eyes and the words he spoke haunted him.

"I don't have to do anything." Bruce half joked. "I barely get out of bed before he bursts into my room. Eyes drenched with tears."

"What does he do then?"

"He'll beg for forgiveness when he hasn't done anything wrong. Begs for me to physically punish him for letting this happen. I tell him it's okay and that he's done nothing wrong. But instead of believing me, he collapses on my bed and crying himself to sleep."

Leslie was uncomfortable with the story. Not because of how Bruce handled it, but because of how Tim was reacting. The fact that Tim felt the need to be hurt was horrible and cruel. Ra's really did a number on him. However, she knew there was more.

"Anything else?"

"He hated physical contact." Bruce commented. "Just despises it."

Leslie leaned forward curiously. Granted, Tim wasn't the most affectionate out of Bruce's sons, Damian passing him slightly in that regard, but he was typically alright with it. Especially with how affectionate Dick could be. It was definitely something to look into.

"How so?" Leslie asked.

"As I said, he does let me get near him," Bruce restated, "but he isn't too comfortable with me touching him. Accepts it, but doesn't like it. And usually, it's just simple things like a pat on the back, me grabbing his arm, or ruffling his hair. I'm still navigating through his comfort zone. They only reason he'll let me do something like this is because it's a necessity." Bruce anxiously rolled his eyes. "You should have seen him when Jason tried to hug him." Bruce grimly pictured the moment. "Jason was just trying to give him a hug to let Tim know that everything was okay. He just wanted to comfort him."

"How did he respond?"

_Tim was sitting in the den. Dick, Damian, and Alfred had kept their distance while Bruce closely monitored him. No one got too close, knowing that his potential reaction was unpredictable, and there was a chance that this was a short time thing. He deserved to enjoy it without any distress._

_That being said, no one had entirely explained it to Jason when he came to visit. When he heard Tim was home, he knew he had to see him for himself. As he entered the house, Tim was attempting to sneak up the stairs. He was startled to see Jason, hoping that he could sneak away undetected._

_"Hey." Jason softly greeted, slowly stepping towards Tim._

_The stairs became more of a safety as Tim attempted to run for them. A hand grabbed his arm, stopping him. Jason turned him around to face him, placing his other hand on Tim's shoulder._

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Jason gasped. "It's okay. It's me."_

_Blue eyes scanned Jason, horrified. He tried squirm away, but Jason refused to let him go. His struggle told Jason two things that were going through Tim's mind. Trauma and suffering. Tears began to form in his eyes._

_All Jason could feel for him was sympathy. Tim had gone through an ordeal that he could only imagine. It was clear that Ra's tortured him. It was something Jason knew he couldn't relate to. But that didn't mean he couldn't at least try to help._

_"Oh, Tim." Jason sighed, pulling him in for a hug. "I'm sorry."_

_There was a silent lull and Jason hoped that meant Tim accepted it. But it wasn't meant to last. A frightened scream echoed through the house. It startled Jason, but he didn't let go. When he looked down, Tim was clawing and crying. He squirmed around trying to squeeze out of Jason's arms._

_Everyone entered the room to see what was going on. When they saw Tim in Jason's arms and Jason with a puzzled face, they knew someone had to step in. That someone being Bruce. He put a hand on Tim's back, which was enough for Jason to get the point and let go._

_"Let me go." Tim cried._

_"Not until you calm down." Bruce calmly stated._

_Tim took several deep breaths. Once he was calm enough, Bruce let him go. Tim bolted up the stairs with one hand over his mouth and the other wrapped around his waist._

"That's terrible." Leslie commented.

"After we explained it to Jason, he regretted it even more." Bruce admitted. "Tim didn't mean it. He told me he didn't and hates himself for it."

Leslie didn't know if she should be horrified or sympathetic. Jason wanted to help. Wanted to comfort Tim. And all he got in response was a troubled scream. Not that Tim did anything wrong either. He is in a state of chaos.

"So what do the tests say?" Bruce asked, changing the topic.

"A few things actually." Leslie replied, opening the file. "As speculated, he is a normal weight. He has some scars that are in various states of healing. Self-inflicted mind you. I can't tell you where he is psychologically, though it seems you're monitor that on your own. There is just one thing that I'm a little troubled with." Leslie pinched the bridge of her nose. "You said Tim told you his captor planned on having him bed his daughter, by force if necessary, but he also seemed to have trauma around that area too."

"You mean he was…?"

"Violated? Yes. I think, as an act of punishment, Ra's did that."

That explained a lot of things. It explained the reason why Tim was so touch sensitive and why he reacted the way he did when Jason hugged him. Looking down at Tim, who was still beginning to stir a little, Bruce was hurt and felt sorry for him.

At the same time, Bruce was infuriated with Ra's. He took advantage of Tim. And what for? Power? Submission? All it proved was that Ra's needed to be in control. Even if that meant taking advantage of someone younger than him.

"Is it bad if I say that I'm glad that he's gone?" Bruce growled.

"Not so long as you don't mind me agreeing with you." Leslie stated. "I get you have a no kill rule, but you have to admit, he kind of got what was coming to him. I do believe it hurt Tim, but it happened." Leslie put a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Take him home. Love him. He needs it."

~

Bruce was up and about. Patrol went well, and he was ready to call it a night. But a whimper and a scream from his room knocked him to his senses. Entering his room, Bruce found Tim on his bed, legs dangling from the side. He was clenching the sheets firmly as his body shook.

"Hey Tim." Bruce whispered, approaching the bed. "Is everything okay?"

Tim remained silent for a moment. He was tired, but troubled. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, finally deciding to answer.

"I'm lonely." Tim sighed. "I don't want to be in my room. Alone. Can I stay here tonight?"

Bruce kindly smirked. Tim didn't have to ask. He hadn't before. But the fact he was now, was significant and kind of amusing.

"Sure." Bruce agreed.

It was going to be a long road to recovery, but this was a small, significant step. Tim was going to need affirmation and comfort. Solitude wasn't going to be a consistent option this early, but was going to be a goal. But as long as he was with family, wanting company was a wonderful thing. It was a safe and warming comfort. It was going to need to a lot of effort to heal, but it would be worth it.


End file.
